Child Restraint Laws NT

National Child Restraint Laws approved by the Australian Transport Council will be introduced in the NT to further protect children in car accidents.

These laws require drivers to guarantee the safety of children that are 7 years or under by having them properly restrained in an Australian Standards approved child restraint.

• Under 6 months:
  Require approved child restraints that are rearward facing, fitted correctly for the type of vehicle and adjustable to fit your child correctly. Try to keep your child in this restraint until they reach the max weight and length limits. Also they cannot sit in the front passenger seat of the vehicle if it has 2 or more rows of seating.
  
• 6 months to 4 years:
  Required to use an approved rearward facing restraint or a forward facing restraint with harness attached that can be correctly adjusted to the vehicle and the child’s body. Try to keep your child in the forward facing restraint with harness until they are physically ready to move to a booster seat. They mustn’t be able to fit properly into a forward facing restraint before changing. They are also unable to travel in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with two or more rows of seats.
  
• 4 to 7 years:
  Required to use an approved forward facing restraint with a harness or a booster seat with an adjustable seatbelt or harness. Keep your child in the booster seat until they reach the maximum height and weight limits. Keep using your booster seat even if your child is over 7 and can still fit in it. Children mustn’t travel in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with two or more rows unless the back seats are taken by other children under the age of 7.

The driver of the vehicle is legally responsible for all occupants, especially for those occupants needing to be properly restrained in child restraints. If drivers do not abide by these laws they could be given a fine starting at $500 for the first unrestrained occupant and increase by $100 for every other.

To be sure you’ve done everything possible to keep your child safe, make sure you have your child restraint fitted by an Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Station.