NZ car seat safety standard.

[BkyMonster]

Bit of a random question. Can you import child car seats and use them?

As the NZ standard requires the 'S' mark per this link http://www.childrestraints.co.nz/standards.php, but also allows car seats meeting or exceeding other national standards (I'm thinking specifically of the US), could I bring a car seat from the US and use it in NZ? If I needed to get that sticker is it something I could do (say if I were to buy the same model sold in NZ, in the US)? Has anyone either imported a seat or gotten an approval sticker?

I just realized that it would be loads cheaper, on my impending US trip, to buy a car seat rather than rent one, but if I can bring it back and use it, I'd certainly like to do that.
Our current one is ECE standard so not suitable for use in the US.

[dharder]

Bit of a random question. Can you import child car seats and use them?

We brought all of ours, never gave it a second thought, to be honest. I expect anything that meets EU/US safety standards to exceed NZ standards by far, so don't thing I ever even checked.

There's certainly no law against importing car seats for personal use (there are different rules for commercial import).

Daniela

[Super_BQ]

I think the issue about NZ car seat safety is more to do with the importers that sell these products in NZ. It would be unwise to import (for the purpose to profit and sale at retailers) such a product knowing there is no safety standard approval.

In the case of personal use, these things don't apply. I think it would be hard for insurance companies to enforce something like this. The issue applies to overseas electronics. Many buy and use such products that meet an overseas standard but are well used in NZ houses without any NZ electrical testing approval.

[sophiedb]

We brought DD's carseat with us (it travelled in its original box as checked luggage on the plane, though with a load of clothes etc plugging the gaps).

When we bought it, we checked that it's sold in NZ too - partly for safety standards, and partly for future resale value. I figure that if people can buy the same thing in NZ, then it's been passed as safe, even if ours has an ECE sticker rather than NZS. (and, in fact, ours costs twice as much in NZ so I'm glad we brought it rather than bought it here!!!)

No problems so far, but then no one's checked

[BkyMonster]

Hmm, good point about commercial vs personal use. I wouldn't think anyone would be checking, but just in case...
Maybe to be safe I should buy something also sold in NZ (for 3x the price!).
US standards actually seem to be bottom rung (as to what is approved for use in NZ), with ECE standards next up and Aus standards on top. At least in regards to testing etc.

[IanW99]

...
In the case of personal use, these things don't apply. I think it would be hard for insurance companies to enforce something like this...

They don't have to enforce it, just check it in the event of a claim.

From the NZTA website:

It's unlikely that you'll be refused entry if you take a restraint other than one of those recommended for the country. Most problems are likely to arise over insurance if you have a crash. It is likely that insurance will not be paid out if the restraint is not one recommended for that specific country.

But note that this isn't the same for NZ where it is a legal requirement that you use an approved child seat.

Driver must ensure passengers under 5 years use child restraint
A driver must ensure that, while the vehicle is in motion on a road, every passenger under the age of 5 years is properly restrained by an approved child restraint appropriate for that passenger

If you are stopped and the car seat is checked then it could be a fine of up to $1000 and an infringement fee of $150.

Ian

[James 1077]

We brought our kids' Maxi-Cosi capsules with us and then, when they outgrew them, had the car seats shipped over from The Netherlands (much cheaper than the UK).

We sold the capsules on Trademe for a small fortune (a little more than we paid for them).

The kids have now moved up to boosters so we have had the maxi-cosi boosters shipped over to us from The Netherlands and will be putting the car seats on Trademe in the next few days. Unfortunately they now sell maxi-cosis in New Zealand so we probably won't get the premium we got for the capsules before!

[Bozeman]

US standards actually seem to be bottom rung (as to what is approved for use in NZ), with ECE standards next up and Aus standards on top. At least in regards to testing etc.

Not true at all. Or at least not true as a general statement. Most NZ standards are based on European standards, sometimes with no differences whatsoever (other than the standard designation number); more often with minor differences, such as the plugs used here are different than the plugs used in Europe. In many, if not most cases, NZ standards and Australian standards are identical and are designated as AS/NZSxxxx. US standards are often different (not surprising considering the difference in electrical current) but not always. The safety standards for IT equipment and electrical power tools, for instance, are the same other than some minor country-specific differences.

[BkyMonster]

...well I was talking about car seats. I have no clue why people keep bringing electrical goods into the discussion. Is there an electric car seat I don't know about?

[Super_BQ]

Would it be safe to assume that there exists, car seats for babies and children that are not safe for use? Certainly anything is better than no capsule or booster seat at all. All in all, I think we're exaggerating the big picture which is why I don't think insurance companies would make such a big fuss.

I hate to bring the discussion of car compliance but the analogy is similar to the topic of discussion. There does exist a higher standard abroad than the safety standards in NZ. Good example is the US car crash safety requirement. For the longest time, NZ was able to use cheap 2nd hand Japanese cars from Japan which where an inferior standard to the US requirement. These cars were produced for the 'domestic' japanese market with no intention of being used overseas, but many of them get shipped over to NZ and meeting NZ safety standard. Actually, I should say it wasn't until recent years where NZ had lifted the standard which made a certain years of Japanese cars not able to be registered for NZ use, but several years too late compared to the US requirement.

A good example is my uncle's 98' Corvette. It was imported about 6 years ago having seat belts of a different type. Upon registration inspection, the inspector told us, "This method of seat belt restraint super cedes the NZ standard". To give you an idea, virtually all passenger car seat belts use the locking restraint across the chest (the belt that crosses diagonally locks up in an accident - when WOF test it, they give the belt a tug to see if it locks). In the Corvette, not only the diagonal belt can lock up but also the belt that goes across the person's belly or belt. Other safety features the car had at the time was traction and stability control. Again, only recent TV ads where NZLTA started marketing which cars have this feature today and highly recommend it.

Overall, I still find it very hard to believe US safety standards are "bottom rung". It can't be with a population of over 300 million.