Seatbelts and the law: how well do we protect Australian children?

About a thousand Australian children are seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents each year, despite 92% using seatbelts or child restraints. Premature graduation of children to adult seatbelts, misuse of seatbelts and use of lap-only belts increase the risk of injury or death. In Australia, use of a child restraint or booster seat is not mandatory for children aged > 1 year, while other countries mandate their use for children up to 5–12 years old. Australian parents are confused about the safest restraint and seating position, particularly for children aged > 2 years. Australian child restraint legislation needs to be reviewed to increase the rate of optimal restraint use.