Associated hazards
Some of the major hazards that babies and children are exposed to from pram use include:
- falls and impact injuries arising from faulty or incorrectly applied harnesses, or prams that tip over
- cuts and pinched skin from moving parts (these can occur to both the baby and an adult)
- the impact of colliding with objects or vehicles, or falls from heights, if control of the pram is lost.
Requirements for Australian prams
Prams sold in Australia must adhere to the applicable safety standards. This compliance will be clearly denoted by labels on the pram, the safety instructions and on any packaging.
As a minimum, prams must have wrist straps to loop around an adult’s wrist, working brakes (coloured red) to stop the pram rolling and restraint harnesses for the baby.
Instructions must be available that carry not only safety warnings but also detail proper care of the pram and how to use it correctly.