Everyone wants the safest motoring experience possible for their child. But the plethora of child safety seats on the market can be daunting. Don’t worry, our guide will make your choice easy. Australian and New Zealand road safety laws state that all children must be seated in an approved restraint until the age of 7 years. Selecting a seat which meets this requirement is easy at Supercheap Auto – our entire range is guaranteed to meet the highest standards.

Differences Between Baby Seats and Booster Seats

Child safety seats generally fit into two categories; baby seats – also known as car seats – and booster seats. Baby seats are designed for newborns up until they outgrow the height markers – usually around 4 years old. These are rear facing and equipped with a four or six point harness. Examples of baby seats carried by Supercheap Auto include the Baby Love Cosmic 2, and the Safety 1st ISO Summit.

Combination or convertible type seats are - as the name suggests; a combination of baby seats and boosters. This design saves the expense of purchasing a new seat every time your child grows. These seats include the Baby Love Ezy Combo 2; and the Safety First “Solo”.

Booster seats are designed for children 4 to 8 years of age, face to the front of the vehicle, and generally use the existing vehicle seatbelt for restraint. Some models retain the harness restraint system for added safety. Examples of booster seats supplied by Supercheap Auto include the Baby Love Ezy Move and the Safety First “Apex”.

Fitting a Child Seat

While choosing a seat that suits your child is the most important step; suitability to your vehicle also needs some consideration. Ensure that the seat you are considering works with the contour of the vehicle seat. Check that there is enough space between the front and back seats; consider passengers in adjacent seats – and compatibility with other child seats.

Fitting the new child seat correctly is critical, but thankfully they’re almost as easy to fit as they are to select. Place the seat in the desired position and face it the correct way. Many harness type child seats may also require attachment to an anchor point. Check your vehicle owners manual if you are unsure where the anchor point is, and don’t be afraid to ask a Supercheap Auto team member for help – our stores carry all the accessories needed to safely attach your child seat.

Clip it into the harness point in your vehicle. Feed the seatbelt through the seat belt guides and you’re good to go. Make sure to check the installation guide that comes with your seat for detailed information. For a booster seat which uses the vehicle seat belt to restrain the child, that’s essentially all there is to it!