Essential Baby > What is the legal rule for 3rd row "dicky seats"?

Welcome to the Lo-Fi, text only version of Essential Baby's forums.

The Essential Baby forums cover all areas of parenting and stages development for babies, toddlers and kids as well as parenting lifestyle areas including Family Travel, Finances, Nutrition & Wellbeing, Recipes and more! If you'd like to post and interact with EB's parenting forums read more articles about conception, pregnancy, babies, toddlers, kids or more please visit Essential Baby for the full site experience.

Home - Become a Member - Login - Forums

Full Version: What is the legal rule for 3rd row "dicky seats"?

Seventh Heaven

08/07/2010, 08:58 AM

Hello!

I have my minivan, everyone is restrained to the maximum safety - even before the laws came in.

However, my DH has a commodore wagon which we had the dicky seat installed in (3 seater bench seat - 2 with headrests). I have had before my DS2's maxirider in the 3rd row (there is anchor points on the back of the dicky seat), however the top of the seat is only cm's from the roof of the car - and TBH causes a real visibility issue. So I have never done it again. This is the same with my DD's pegasus booster.

Point being that I can't have any booster in the 3rd row...at all!

My DD is only 6 - and DS2 is 4. Are they allowed to sit in the dicky seat at all? The seats are made for children up to 12 years old, and the seatbelts are at a children's placement (they are lower), so I would assume they would be classified as "boosters" in themselves???

In my heart, I know they are safe, however I am worried that a cop would be an a*se and give us a ticket.

LittleWhiteDove

08/07/2010, 09:04 AM

Hi there! I'm not sure of the accuracy, but friends of mine have a Commodore wagon with the dicky seat, ad they were told when they got it that it is classified as a booster, because it is designed specifically for children, with the lower belt placement etc. Which makes sense, it couldn't be any worse than those little half booster cushions, could it?

I'm not sure how you'd find out for sure though - maybe contact the RTA?

lsolaBella

08/07/2010, 11:41 AM

QUOTE

Can I still use the additional seat (dickie seat) that I have in the back of my station wagon?
Dickie seats will be permitted for use for children aged four and less than seven years provided the seat is suitable for children's height and weight and a lap sash seatbelt or seatbelt with a child safety harness is used.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Safety...dRestraints.htm

I know it is from vicroads, but the laws are NATIONAL laws so each state will have the same laws when they are implemented in all states.

So yes, if they are 'dickie seats' rated for up to 12yrs they are OK to be used instead of a booster.

QUOTE

Can I still use the third row auxiliary seats (dickie seats) for my child and do I need to use a child restraint?
• Children may still use a dickie seat if the category is suitable and rated for their size and/or age.
• If a dickie seat is rated for adult use then a child restraint must be used.
• Depending on the category of the dickie seat, you may be able to use the seat and seatbelt without a child restraint.
• You will need to read the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions to check if the dickie seat will accommodate a child restraint.

http://www.kidsafensw.org/docs/Road%20Safe...pril%202010.pdf

Wild Strawberry

08/07/2010, 11:46 AM

I looked into this also as we just bought a wagon with an extra seat. As pp stated they are ok with the new laws as the seats are designed for children. You are not meant to use booster/baby seats with the dickie seats as there needs to be a certain amount of clearance between top of childs head and roof. That is the reason there are height restriction (think it's 100cm when sitting) on these seats. The anchor point is there for using a H harness with the seat.

This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.

Essential Baby is the place to find parenting information and parenting support relating to conception, pregnancy, birth, babies, toddlers, kids, maternity, family budgeting, family travel, nutrition and wellbeing, family entertainment, tips for the family home, child-friendly recipes and parenting. Try our pregnancy due date calculator to determine your due date, or our ovulation calculator to predict ovulation and your fertile period. Our pregnancy week by week guide shows your baby's stages of development. Access our very active mum's discussion groups in the Essential Baby forums to talk to mums about conception, pregnancy, birth, babies, toddlers, kids and parenting lifestyle. Essential Baby also offers a baby names database of more than 22,000 baby names, popular baby names, boys' names, girls' names and baby names advice in our baby names forum. For the latest baby clothes, maternity clothes, maternity accessories, toddler products, kids toys and kids clothing, breastfeeding and other parenting resources, check out Essential Baby.