Skip navigation
Saved Car

Volvo urges child safety seat re-think

  • By Paul Gover
  • Herald Sun
  • 18 February 2009
image Should international safety regulations for child seats apply in Australia?

Volvo is pushing for a re-think on child safety seats in Australia.

The international standard for child seats, called Isofix and linked to a special location in the back seat of all vehicles, is not ratified for Australia it does not include a top-tether strap on seats.

But Volvo, which advocates rear-facing child seats up to the age of four, believes international safety regulations should apply in Australia.

"I don't think that Australia needs a separate set of safety regulations when they are very competent safety evaluation has been carried out in Europe or the US," Alan Desselss says.

"I think that Australia could quite comfortably accept what has been done in the US and Europe on things such as Isofix."

An acceptance of Isofix in Australia would also allow Volvo to sell its own child seat.

"I do believe it's a very, very good feature and it certainly has been tested extremely rigorously in both the US and Europe. And by our own engineers.

"If Volvo endorses it you can be sure it has been tested to the nth degree."

 

Comments on this story

Displaying 3 of 10 comments

  • are these seats safe as my daughters nan wants to taker her out in her volvo but she is only two and this seat does not look safe to me

    hannah jones of United Kingdom Posted on 24 December 2012 4:25am

  • This issue has bugged me for years. I have a three car family and seats are constantly being moved between cars. I have little confidence that they are correctly installed in all instances when they are being refitted. This places children at risk. This is a matter for urgent attention. Politicians need to understand that the ISOFIX standards prevent incorrect installation and as they attach directly to the cars chassis would no doubt be safer than a strap and anchor system. Do they also understand that many European seat belts do not ratchet lock when fully extended so it is impossible to firmly secure an Australian Standard car seat with these types of belts? I speak of experience with current model Audi, BMW and VW vehicles. Action must be taken immediately. Surly this is Today Tonight or ACA material.

    David Marriner of Brisbane Posted on 13 October 2010 7:01pm

  • But Volvo built-in boosters do not have an anti-submarine clip. so they are NOT as safe as safe'n'sound / britax boosters that we use here - whether the safest ones like Maxiriders or even the polystyrene ones like Pegasus.

    Alanna Hector of Sydney Posted on 22 September 2010 8:25pm

  • The Australian anti-ISOFIX regulations exist to protect lazy and incompetent Australian manufacturers from the hordes of well-designed and safe seats from Europe, USA and of course New Zealand (whose manufacturers are selling ISOFIX all over the world!). Notice that Australian sales overseas are miniscule. Do you think any Australian politician or bureaucrat will dare to change this? Who do you think is paying them?

    Paul Langford of Sydney Posted on 09 April 2010 10:28am

  • I moved back to Australia 6 months ago and I hate putting my kids (aged 2 and 4) into Aussie carseats as I feel each time I am gambling with their safety. Australia used to be the world leaders in car seat safety, but you can only be precious about it if you stay up to date with your testing and ratifying. C'mon Australia, at least let us bring our safer, foreign car seats over without fear of reprisal.

    Tara Stanton of Sydney Posted on 23 August 2009 5:24pm

  • I moved back to Australia 6 months ago and I hate putting my kids (aged 2 and 4) into Aussie carseats as I feel each time I am gambling with their safety. Australia used to be the world leaders in car seat safety, but you can only be precious about it if you stay up to date with your testing and ratifying. C'mon Australia, at least let us bring our safer, foreign car seats over without fear of reprisal.

    Tara Stanton of Sydney Posted on 23 August 2009 5:08pm

  • i have read some lame excuses in reports. Like 'there would not be enough room for three kids in the back if isofix is installed' 'does not meet australian standards' or 'it's too heavy', 'too expensive', needs more testing... These people have to be kidding - Do Aus standards think they are the world leaders???.... Im sure they wouldnt be so stupid or ignorant???. Have you seen how some of these aus seats have been professionally fitted?... would be shocking if anyone had a side impact... Australian standards need to step up and realise they are miles behind when it comes to car safety. I am going to the UK soon and will be bringing isofix seat back and fitting it to my european car. Illegal or not, my son is too precious for a lack of australian standards

    Chris x of Australia Posted on 14 July 2009 11:50am

  • Thanks you Volvo for pushing this issue forward. Having used ISOFIX in the UK, I firmly believe they are the easiest & safest seats for children. I am utterly gutted that they are not available in Australia. It is time Australia woke up & used standards that have long been ratified elsewhere rather than leaving children in badly fitted car seats. I hope other car manufacturers take up this cause.

    Mel Subbara Posted on 05 July 2009 11:12pm

  • I hope Volvo continues to keep this issue in the forefront - the more regulations we introduce in Australia from Europe, the better! Next we need proper driver training - compulsory defensive driving courses for ALL new drivers (and refreshers for existing drivers would be beneficial, too!)

    Ben of Sunshine Coast, QLD Posted on 24 February 2009 6:48pm

  • As the father of an 18-month old and 3-yr old, I would certainly appreciate the Isofix system being ratified because it would make the removal and replacement of seats simpler and thus safer. I wonder if it would make them less bulky too? If it's good enough for European and US agencies why not us? What reasoning do the Australian regulators have for not accepting Isofix?

    Andrew Ross Posted on 24 February 2009 12:05pm
Read all 10 comments

Add your comment on this story

Indicates required

We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Please provide your full name. We also require a working email address - not for publication, but for verification. The location field is optional.

Cars for sale

Feedback Form
Feedback Analytics