Car Seats

Australia’s best baby store with all of your favourite baby brands in one place. Buy now and pay later with AfterPay, ZIP, PayPal & lay-by. Find the perfect baby, toddler or children’s car seat for your family at our baby store showroom in Booragoon, Perth. It’s a haven for new parents and families, including a range of boosters, capsules, convertibles, harnessed boosters and accessories on display. Please consider your purchase carefully before confirming, as your child’s safety comes first, therefore we do not exchange or return car seats (whether in original packaging or now). We also offer fast delivery Australia-wide. If you have an enquiry or would like more information on our products, contact Babyroad today by calling (08) 9317 1423submit an enquiry form or visit us in-store!

FAQs

Does Babyroad Have a Store?

Yes, we have a brick-and-mortar baby store located at 1/271 Leach Highway, Booragoon. Visit us in-store today and explore our extensive range of car seats, toys, baby strollers, and more, from some of Australia’s best-known brands.

If you are unable to visit us in person and have an enquiry, please contact our experienced customer service team members on (08) 9317 1423 or send an enquiry online.

What is a Car Seat?

Car seats are a restraining device that secures your child to protect them whilst you’re driving. To legally travel in your car with your child, depending on their age, they need to be secured within either a rear-facing child car seat, forward-facing child car seat, booster seat or an adult seatbelt.

The child car seat must:

  • Be appropriate for your child’s size
  • Be correctly installed in your car
  • And be properly fastened and adjusted to fit your child

What Car Seat Is Best Suited For My Child?

Infants and Toddlers

Type of Seat – Rear-facing capsule or rear-facing convertible car seat.

All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. Most convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear-facing for up to two years.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Type of Seat – Forward-facing convertible or forward-facing booster with a harness. 

Children who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their convertible car seat should use a forward-facing seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety manufacturer. 

School-Aged Children

Type of Seat – Harnessed booster seat or booster car seat.

All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 8 – 12 years of age. A child younger than 13 years should ride in the backseat.

General Guide

It’s always safest to keep your child in the car seat that’s most appropriate for your child’s size, regardless of age. Therefore Australian law also allows for the following:

  • Children who are too small for the car seat that’s specified for their age group can stay in their current seat until they grow into the seat for the next age group
  • Children who are too big for the child car seat that’s specified for their age can move to the seat specified for the next age group

The shoulder height marker on car seats shows when your child is big enough to start using a particular car seat, when you can convert the seat to the next use, and when your child is too big for the existing seat. If you’d like advice about moving your child into a different car seat, visit the professionals at Babyroad today.

What Types of Child Car Seats Are Available at Babyroad?

Babyroad sells many different types of child car seats including boosters, capsules, convertibles, harnessed boosters and accessories. Each style of car seat has specific features that work for your child’s current age, height and weight.

We stock several well-known child car seat brands such as; Maxi Cosi, Britax, Bugaboo, Cybex, Baby Jogger, Mother’s Choice and more. To find out what products and brands we have available in-store, come visit our baby store showroom in Booragoon and view our products up close.

What Are the Different Types of Car Seats?

With so many different car seats available on the market today, many parents find selecting the right one for their family an overwhelming process.

There are four main types of child car seats, including;

  • Capsules Car Seats
  • Convertible Car Seats
  • Harnessed Booster Seats
  • Boosters Car Seats

Different seats have different weight restrictions and limits. Make sure that you look at the manufacturer’s information that comes with the seat before purchasing a car seat. These instructions will help you know what car seat is best for your child at their given age, height and weight.

What is a Capsule Car Seat?

A baby capsule is a rearward-facing car seat with an in-built harness and is the legal requirement for babies under six months of age. Rear-facing infant car seats are designed to sit in your car in the rear-facing position only, as this is the safest position for small children to ride in. Unlike other types of car seats, capsules can be easily taken in and out of the car as a carrier and some are even compatible with certain prams. Baby capsules have the shortest shelf life, lasting you approximately six months. 

What is a Convertible Car Seat?

While one option is to start your baby in a capsule and progress to a forward-facing seat and eventually a booster seat, some may prefer to use a convertible car seat which can change modes to allow for longer periods of use. These child car seats are cost-effective as they are adaptable and can be used for your child from a newborn up to eight years of age. 

A convertible car seat can be used in both rear-facing or forward-facing positions. It allows your child to face rearward for 12 months, and then can convert to forward-facing. Some even convert again to a booster seat by having a removable harness. These models can serve as the only car seat you will need to purchase for your child’s life, however, it’s important to consider if the seat will continue to suit your lifestyle for the entire period (they can be quite bulky) as well as the effect of wear and tear over an eight-year period.

The options for convertible car seats include:

Rear-Facing (Ages 0 to 2 Years)

Suitable for newborns, the convertible car seat can be positioned as a rear-facing. Some models allow for children to be rear-facing for 12 months, while some others offer up to two years, which is often preferred because of the increased safety performance of the rear-facing position.

Forward-Facing (Ages 6 Months to 8 Years)

The convertible car seat can be transitioned to forward-facing and can be used as soon as your baby is no longer legally required to be rearward-facing. They differ from a single-mode forward-facing seat as, after four years, they can be converted from a harnessed front-facing seat to a booster seat used with an adult seatbelt. 

What is a Harnessed Booster Car Seat?

Forward-facing harnessed booster seats have their own in-built six-point harness for your child. This style of car seat can be used from six months old until your child is at least four years old, but it can be used for longer. It’s safer for kids to stay in a harness for as long as they can fit in it comfortably. 

What is a Booster Car Seat?

Booster seats are designed to provide side impact protection, but their primary function is to correctly position the vehicle seat belt to safely restrain the child. It is the vehicle seat belt that is the actual restraining device. 

A booster seat is also forward-facing, but is usually slimmer than a forward-facing car seat and is used with an adult seatbelt rather than an in-built harness. This style of seat is the last you’ll need to purchase for your child before they transition to an adult seatbelt. 

What Should I Look For When Buying a Car Seat?

You should look for a car seat that best fits your child and your vehicle. Not all car seats are the same and they don’t all work in every type of car. The car seat that you choose should be based on the height and weight of your child. To determine this, you should test the seat to make sure it fits your child and your vehicle properly. 

What Type of Car Seat is Best For a Newborn?

Choosing a car seat for your newborn is one of the most important things you’ll do before your baby arrives. By law, you will need to have a properly installed car seat in your car before you can take your baby home from the hospital. There are many different brands and types of car seats available, and it will take time and effort to decide which is suitable for your child. For a newborn, we recommend selecting a car seat from our baby capsule range. If you would like assistance in selecting the best baby car seat for your child, visit Babyroad today.

Why is Proper Child Car Seat Installation So Important?

While choosing the correct child car seat for your family is incredibly important, the most vital step is actually the installation. No matter which car seat you choose, it is crucial for the safety of your child that it is installed correctly as installing one incorrectly practically negates the use of the seat entirely. A car seat that’s installed properly will not budge – not even an inch forward or to either side.

What Do I Need to Consider When Choosing a Car Seat to Fit in My Car?

The smaller the car, the tighter the fit, and the harder it’ll be to get your child in and out. Space becomes more of a problem when you are trying to squeeze three car seats into the car; along with the length of the backseat. Make sure you check that there is enough space to get in and out once the seat is installed. 

Along with the length of the backseat, you’ll need to take the anchor points, door armrests and the angle of the window into consideration. If you’re planning on expanding your family in the future, check that there is enough space to have more than one restraint and that the seat belts are long enough to comfortably thread through the seat. Some car seat manufacturers sell ‘narrow’ car seats, but it may be a challenge to find the right combinations. If you’re thinking of choosing an ISOFIX car seat, check that your car is compatible prior to purchase. 

How Many Child Car Seats Can Fit in a Car?

The number of child car seats that you can fit correctly into your car will depend on the:

  • Make and model of your car
  • Style and brand of the car seat that you choose
  • The combination of car seats that you need for your children
  • The number of anchorage points within your car

The best way to find out how many child car seats you can fit is to try fitting them correctly together in your car before you buy them. For assistance in installing your car seat, visit Babyroad today!

If I’m Expecting When Should I Start Shopping For a Baby Car Seat?

If you’re expecting, we recommend that you start shopping for a car seat around the sixth to the eighth month of pregnancy. This will give you ample time to go shopping for car seats before giving birth. 

There are a multitude of different baby car seat types to choose from. Whichever you choose depends primarily on the features you would like, your family’s lifestyle and budget. As this is an essential piece of child safety equipment, you’ll be using the car seat every single time you go out, so it’s worth investing in a high-quality car seat.

What Are the Car Seat Safety Laws in Australia?

All car seats sold in Australia need to meet mandatory safety standards. The minimum legal requirements for using child car seats in Australia are based on age:

  • Children under six months must use a rearward-facing child seat with an in-built harness
  • Children aged six months up to four years must use a rearward-facing or forward-facing child car seat with an in-built harness
  • Children aged four years up to seven years must use a forward-facing child car seat with an in-built harness or a booster seat with an adult lap-sash seatbelt or child safety harness
  • Children aged seven years and older must use a booster seat with an adult lap-sash seatbelt or child safety harness, or a standard seat with an adult seatbelt

If your child is too tall or heavy for their age group’s restraint, you can move them to the next sized seat. 

The Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) independently crash tests car seats and their safety features and safety ratings and results are published for free online at childcarseats.com.au. The safety rating of all models listed on the CREP website is up to current Australian Standards. 

How Should the Car Seat Harness Fit My Child?

Child car seats have both harness straps and a harness (retainer) clip. Car seats come with more than one harness height to give your baby some growing room. The harness straps fit over your child’s shoulders, and the retainer clip holds the harness straps in place. The harness straps should fit snugly on your child, and the harness clip should be placed at armpit level. You should not be able to ‘pinch’ any harness at the child’s shoulder level.

What Is ISOFIX?

ISOFIX is a car seat installation system that involves clipping the car seat into anchorage points manufactured into cars. Newer car seats are ISOFIX compatible and are usually easier to install than old seat belt systems.

When Is It Safe For My Child To Use an Adult Seat Belt?

Legally, children need to be suitably restrained, and if a child aged seven or over is too small to fit comfortably in an adult seatbelt, then it’s safest to remain in a booster seat. 

We recommend that a child passes the ‘five-step test’ in order to wear an adult seat belt, usually when the child is 145cm tall:

  1. Can your child sit with their back against the back seat?
  2. Are their knees bent comfortably over the front edge of the seat cushion?
  3. In this position is the shoulder belt across the middle of their shoulders?
  4. Is the lap belt low and sits across the top of their thighs?
  5. Can they stay in this position comfortably for the whole car trip?

What Payment Methods Does Babyroad Offer?

At Babyroad, we accept all major credit cards as well as AfterPay and Zip.

Does Babyroad Ship Australia-Wide?

Yes, Babyroad does provide Australia-wide delivery! To calculate the shipping rate to your area, add your chosen items to the cart and enter your postcode and address.

Can I Collect My Order In-Store?

Yes, you can collect your order from Babyroad’s physical store located in Booragoon, WA, and it’s completely free! For more details, visit our ‘Click-and-Collect’ information page.

Can I Return an Item to Babyroad?

Yes, we do accept returns under certain conditions. For more details, visit our ‘Shipping and Returns’ information page.

Do You Still Have an Unanswered Question?

At Babyroad, we don’t just sell car seats. Complete your family shopping journey with our range of prams, toys and gifts, clothes, and more. When looking for the best advice whilst toy shopping, we recommend that our customers come visit us and shop in-store. Our team members are more than happy to provide you and your family with any information you may need on our brands and products!

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