Australia

Child Restraints Children under 1 year old must be restrained in a suitable approved child restraint. Children aged 1 to 15 years must be restrained in a suitable approved child restraint, or occupy a seating position fitted with a suitable seatbelt if one is available. If the vehicle has 2 or more rows of seats, the child must not be in the front row of seats unless restrained in a suitable approved child restraint or occupying a seating position fitted with a seatbelt. Australian child restraints must be fitted with a top tether which is attached to a suitable mounting point on the vehicle. The use of European child restraints without a top tether is, therefore, illegal.

Seat Belts In all States and Territories, it is compulsory to wear seat belts if these are fitted to a vehicle. Passengers must not sit in the front of a vehicle unless the seat is fitted with a seatbelt or there is not a seating position available for the passenger in another row of seats.

Belgium

Child Restraints Children under 3 years old must travel in an approved child restraint, if available. Children aged 3 years to 11 years must travel in an approved child restraint if available but otherwise must use the seat belt. Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years, unless they are seated in an approved child restraint.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Brazil

Child Restraints Children aged under 10 years old are prohibited from travelling in the front seat unless all the rear seats are occupied by children under 10 years, in which case the oldest child can travel in the front seat.

Seat Belts Drivers must wear a seat belt and ensure that passengers wear seatbelts.

Bulgaria

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until age of 12 years.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Canada

Child Restraints The details below are guidelines issued by Transport Canada and some provinces have set higher standarDS. RoSPA recommends that you check the provincial law for the province(s) you are visiting. Drivers must ensure that ALL infants and children are properly secured in certified child restraint systems. All infants from birth to 9kg must be restrained in a rear-facing approved restraint. Toddlers weighing 9-18kg in a motor vehicle driven by a parent or guardian must be restrained in an approved restraint. Toddlers driven by an adult who is not their parent/guardian may use a restraint or lap belt. All children under the age of 6 years who are not covered by the above sections shall be restrained by the lap belt. Information in different provinces Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec SaskatChewan Yukon

Seat Belts Seat belt use is mandatory for all occupants.

Chile

Child Restraints Unknown

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

China

Child Restraints Child safety seats are not widely available.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Croatia

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years. Children up to the age of 5 must use a child restraint.

Seat Belts Seat belt use is mandatory for all occupants.

RODA

Cyprus

Child Restraints Children must be at least 5 years of age to sit in the front seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for front-seat passengers.

Czech Republic

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in front seat until the age of 12 years unless approved child restraints are used.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Denmark

Child Restraints Children under 3 years of age must be seated in a special child restraint.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Eire

Child Restraints It is compulsory for all children to travel in the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion Children under 3 years of age must not travel in a car or goods vehicle (other than a taxi) unless restrained in the correct child seat. Rearward-facing child car seats must NEVER be used in the front passenger seat of cars with an active airbag Children aged 3 years or over who are under 150cms in height and weighing less than 36 kilograms must use the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion when travelling in cars or goods vehicles Child car seats must be in ACCORDance with EU or United Nations- Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) standards If a vehicle is not fitted with seat belts then children over 3 years of age must travel in the rear.

Seat Belts Drivers, front seat passengers and rear seat passengers must wear seat belts if they are fitted in the car. Drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that front and rear seat passengers aged under 17 years use the correct child seat, booster seat, booster cushion, or seat belt.

Estonia

Child Restraints Children who are too small to be secure in seatbelts must use child car seats.

Seat Belts Persons in the front seat must wear seatbelts; and if the car has rear seatbelts, rear seat passengers must them.

Finland

Child Restraints Children are permitted to travel in the front seat. A child seat is mandatory for children under 3 years old. It is recommended for children aged 3 years to 12 years, but not mandatory.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

France

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until aged 10 years old. Children under 10 years of age must be seated in the rear and use a seatbelt or an approved child seat. However, a very young child in an approved rear-facing safety seat can be placed in the front seat. Children seated in the front seat must be seated in a child restraint appropriate to their weight and age.

Seat Belts All vehicle occupants must wear a seat belt.

FYR Macedonia

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years.

Seat Belts Unknown

Germany

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years or until they are more than 1.5 metres tall. Children under 12 years of age and under 1.5 metres tall, seated in the rear of the vehicle MUST be in a child seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Greece

Child Restraints Children must be at least 10 years of age to sit in the front seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Hungary

Child Restraints Children are permitted to travel in the front seat provided they are seated in a child safety chair or they are over 150 cm tall or are at least 12 years of age.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

India

Child Restraints Details to be added shortly.

Seat Belts Details to be added shortly.

Israel

Child Restraints Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the front seat (unless they are infants in a safety seat).

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Italy

Child Restraints Children under 12 years are permitted to travel in front seat if special child restraints are installed.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Japan

Child Restraints Children under 6 years old must be in a child restraint.

Seat Belts Seat belt wearing is mandatory.

Latvia

Child Restraints Children are permitted to travel in front seat if child restraints are attached (with or without child seats).

Seat Belts Persons in the front seat must wear seatbelts; and if the car has rear seatbelts, rear seat passengers must use them.

Lithuania

Child Restraints Children are permitted to travel in the front seat provided they are seated in a child safety chair or provided they are over 150 cm tall.

Seat Belts Persons in the front seat must wear seatbelts; and if the car has rear seatbelts, rear seat passengers must use them.

Luxembourg

Child Restraints Children under 12 years of age, or less than 1.5 metres tall, and seated in the front seat, must be in a safety seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Malaysia

Child Restraints Children under 12 years old, or smaller than 150 cm, may only travel in the front seat if they are using an adequate "approved child restraint system" (suitable for the size and weight of the child).

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Netherlands

Child Restraints Children up to 12 years are prohibited from travelling in the front seat unless approved child restraints are used.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants, except that they are not compulsory for children 0-3 years in the rear seat.

New Zealand

Child Restraints Child car seats are required for children under the age of 5 years. The driver must ensure that a child aged between 5 and 8 years is safely restrained if there is a child restraint or seat belt in the vehicle. If there is no restraint, then the child must sit in a rear seat. All persons of 8 years and over must occupy a seat with a fitted seat belt. A child under 15 years may sit in a front seat provided they are properly restrained, or if the vehicle is not provided with sitting positions behind the driver, or if all the sitting positions behind the driver's seat are occupied by children under the age of 15 years. The driver is responsible for ensuring all persons under 15 years of age are properly restrained by an approved restraint appropriate for that child.

Seat Belts It is compulsory to wear seat belts, where available, at all times. All persons over 15 years are responsible for wearing a safety belt in any seating position.

Norway

Child Restraints Children are permitted to travel in front seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and for passengers.

Poland

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 10 years, unless child restraints are used.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and for passengers.

Portugal

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years, unless in a child seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all seat passengers travellingeverywhere in Portugal.

Romania

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until age of 12 years.

Seat Belts Passengers in the front seat of a car must wear seatbelts at all times.

Russia

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 10 years unless child restraints are used.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and for passengers.

Slovakia

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years and over 1.5 metres tall.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and for passengers.

Slovenia

Child Restraints Children must be at least 12 years of age to sit in the front seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

South Africa

Child Restraints If a child restraint or seatbelt is available in the vehicle it must be used. All Child restraints have to have The South African Bureau of Standards safety mark.

Seat Belts It is illegal to travel without a seat belt.

South Korea

Child Restraints Children riding in the front seat of vehicles must wear a seat belt or must use an appropriate child car- seat.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Spain

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 12 years, unless an approved child restraint is used.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Sweden

Child Restraints Children shorter than 135 cm must use an approved child restraint. Children are permitted to travel in the front seat. It is illegal to carry a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat, if protected by an active frontal airbag. The child restraint must be suitable for the user, installed according to the instructions of the restraint and used in the way intended. Child restraints must conform to the ECE Directive 77/541/EEG (2000/3/EG) or the United Nations ECE Regulation R44.03 or later standard. Child restraints that conform to a Swedish Standard or to an earlier version of R44, may be used until the 9th of May 2008. The driver must ensure that children younger than 15 are restrained correctly in accordance with the law. If the child is 15 or older it is the responsibility of the child to wear the seat belt.

Seat Belts Seat belts are mandatory for all passengers, if they are available.

Switzerland

Child Restraints Starting from the 1st April 2010, children must use an adapted child seat until they are either 150 cm tall or the age of 12. The child restraint has to conform to ECE R44.03 or ECE R44.04. More information can be found from theDepartment de l'Environnement, des Transports, de l'Energie et de la Communication

Seat Belts Seat belts are compulsory for front-seat passengers.

Thailand

Child Restraints Unknown

Seat Belts Seat belts should be worn.

Turkey

Child Restraints Children are prohibited from travelling in the front seat until the age of 10 years.

Seat Belts The use of seat belts is compulsory for all vehicle occupants.

Yugoslavia