Are Australian car seats suitable for the UK

[Graciescotland]

I'm in Oz and I've bought my 22mo DS a new car seat out here. We'll be back in the UK in a couple of month and I'd like to know if it'll meet current UK safety guidelines before I drag it half way around the world.

[shrimponastick]

?? I am sure they have stringent safety guidelines in Australia too.

I took my DS to the USA when he was 2 to visit family.They bought him a car seat and I brought it home with me 'cos it was so much better than the one we had at home.

[IwanttoflyonA380]

Car seats for use in the uk must conform to ER44.03 or ER44.04. Although you could use it over here as the chances of being stopped by the police and them realising are not very likely. If you had a car accident the insurance might get a bit funny with you. You might have to prove that if exceeded the uk standard.
this website tell you what the different safety standards test. and this one gives more deatail for ER44.03 and ER44.04

[Graciescotland]

Thanks, I knew there'd be a standard. I know there's a new set of standards over here which are pretty stringent but I don't know if it'd qualify. I don't own a car so it's mainly for taxis/ hire cars.

[savoycabbage]

Has it got a top tether? UK cars don't have an anchor point.

[Thumbwitch]

What savoy cabbage said - there probably won't be an anchor point for the top tether in a UK car and I don't know whether or not your car seat would then conform to safety standards without it.

[IwanttoflyonA380]

New cars in the uk do have top tether points. So you will probably be ok with hire cars. If it is hire cars and taxi's and it works to bring it and light and easy to move then I would. Australian seats are tested at higher forces than uk so it would pass uk anyway

[Thumbwitch]

The other thing to look at is whether the carseat is an ISOfix one, and whether or not the car you use in the UK has ISOfix points. ISOfix hasn't been approved by Australian authorities yet but some of the seats are still ISOfix, and some of the newer cars have the points.

[Graciescotland]

It does have a top tether point but not isofix points. We live in the centre of town when in UK so no permanent car.

[Thumbwitch]

Just make sure that whatever car you hire has somewhere to attach the top tether then, and you should be ok. :)