Background

Australian child restraint laws currently focus on age as an indicator of when a child should move out of a booster seat and into an adult restraint. However, paediatric research has shown that height is a far safer measure, recommending children should stay in a booster seat until they’re at least 145cm tall. 

​With less than 3% of children reaching 145cm by the time they turn 7, parents needed to know that booster seat safety is about height, not age. Two of Victoria’s most trusted brands, RACV and TAC joined together to educate parents around car booster seat safety. 

Idea 

The Booster Tag is a simple, innovative solution that reframes booster seat safety for parents. No matter how old a child is, if they fit clothing displaying the Booster Tag icon, they’re likely still under 145cm tall and require a booster seat to safely travel on our roads. 

The new label icon, in the shape of a smiling booster seat, is designed to sit alongside existing care instructions in any t-shirt that fits children under 145cm tall (sizes 4-11). 

The Booster Tag is open-sourced and designed to be adopted by any brand in the country. Australian clothing sizes are standardised, so it’s easy for any clothing manufacturer in the country to adopt the Booster Tag and include the icon on their labels. High-profile Australian children’s clothing already have included The Booster Tag in their ranges. 

It's a PSA that gets washed, folded and re-seen every week. A message that stays with parents as long as the t-shirts displaying the Booster Tag icon fit their children. A simple, tactile idea that turns any child’s t-shirt into a potential road safety reminder. 

Results 

The Booster Tag initiative already has a wide range of partners, from Australian department store chain Myer to popular children’s brands Oobi, Little Horn and Minti. A grass roots approach has also been taken, with several schools and sporting clubs incorporating the Booster Tag icon into their uniforms. 

Excitingly, there has also been significant interest from additional brands and organisations in adopting the Booster Tag, with new partners to be announced soon. 

At launch, the Booster Tag also received significant national TV and press coverage.