# Carseats (child restraints) from USA



## sillygumbo (Jul 6, 2012)

Does anyone know if my carseats from US will latch correctly into NZ cars? I just want to use them until I get it all sorted when we have settled. Then I will go buy NZ regulated car seats.


----------



## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

Depends what you mean by latch, are you referring to the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, also known as Isofix to Europeans)? I've been trying to find this out myself. North American cars have featured the anchors for over a decade, and I'm not sure if NZ is the same. It's my experience, from having lived briefly in NZ when our son was 4-6 months, that the NZ safety standards for car seats are lower than their Canadian counterparts. Some of the seats there available for purchase or hire would never be approved here. I intend to take and use our current SureLATCH seat, as long as I can confirm that the family vehicles I'm looking at have the anchors.


----------



## sillygumbo (Jul 6, 2012)

You said it much better than I did. Anchors was the word I was looking for.


----------



## bdl123 (Apr 2, 2012)

I came to NZ with a 12mth old. We came with a 'normal' seatbelt fixed carseat as we had to travel from UK with it & used this easily in every car until our container arrived with our 2nd car seat which has an Isofix base. We purchased 2 cars, a Mitsubishi Outlander & a Subaru Legacy...both have Isofix fixings in them so our seat 'latches/anchors' on perfectly. I think most newish cars have these fixings in them...maybe look at a few car manufacturers in NZ online & see what their descriptions say. www.autotrader.co.nz may be a good place to start.

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


----------



## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

This site New Zealand Child Restraints has lots of information on the law and requirements for child safety seats

This page has info on ISOFIX and LATCH systems

This link for New Zealand Transport Agency Factsheet for Child restraints


----------



## sillygumbo (Jul 6, 2012)

Thanks so much!


----------



## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

my reasoning for placing links rather than 'cut and paste' info is that as laws/regulations may change the links will be updated to reflect this; as people may search on _carseats_ in future the links remain as an up-to-date reference for users. 

The NZ Transport Agency factsheet link notes it was published _May 2012_, presumably the older version contained out of date info. 
Other factsheets on that site date from 2010 and remain current. Better than providing incorrect info.


----------



## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

Law change proposed - _"will come into effect within the next year following consultation on other impacts of the changes"_



> *Mandatory car seats for 7-year-olds*
> 04/10/2012
> 
> *Children up to the age of seven will have to use a car seat under new rules announced today.*
> ...


----------



## kiwiemma (Nov 5, 2009)

Cars with Isofix fasteners are quite common in NZ but thats a fairly recently position, so generally new or near new cars (and particularly European cars) will have that option, older cars will not. Most NZ'ers use car seats that are secured using seat belts and other types of tethers, as Isofix seats are relatively expensive in NZ.


----------



## Friedkiwi (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks for the tips. I will be trying to put my American Brittax seat in a car today, so I now will know it may not have a latch, just a seatbelt.


----------

