{"id":"F2006L01410","name":"Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 – Head Restraints) 2006","slug":"vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":59010,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006L01410-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 – Head Restraints) 2006","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nVehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/0022/00 – Head RestraintsHead Restraints) 20062006\n\nCompilation: 1 (up to and including Amendment 11)\n\nCompilation Date: 15 May 2006\n\nCompiled by: Vehicle Safety Standards\n\nDepartment of Transport and Regional Services.\n\nCONTENTS\n\nA. legislative provisions..............................................\n\nA.1. NAME OF STANDARD...........................................\n\nA.2. COMMENCEMENT..............................................\n\nA.3. REPEAL.......................................................\n\nb. SCOPE.........................................................\n\nc. APPLICABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION.........................\n\n22.1. DEFINITIONS...................................................\n\n22.2. PROVISION, LOCATION AND SIZE................................\n\n22.3. TEST REQUIREMENTS..........................................\n\n22.4. DYNAMIC TEST CONDITIONS...................................\n\n22.5. STATIC TEST CONDITIONS......................................\n\n22.6. ALTERNATIVE STANDARDS.....................................\n\nnotes\n\n \n\nA. legislative provisions\n\nA.1. NAME OF STANDARD\n\nA.1.1. This Standard is the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 – Head Restraints) 2006.\n\nA.1.2. This Standard may also be cited as Australian Design Rule 22/00 — Head Restraints.\n\nA.2. COMMENCEMENT\n\nA.2.1. This Standard commences on the day after it is registered.\n\nA.3. REPEAL\n\nA.3.1. This Standard repeals each vehicle standard with the name Australian Design Rule 22/00 — Head Restraints that is:\n\n(a) made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicles Standard Act 1989; and\n\n(b) in force at the commencement of this Standard.\n\nA.3.2. This Standard also repeals each instrument made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicles Standard Act 1989 that creates a vehicle standard with the name Australian Design Rule 22/00 — Head Restraints, if there are no other vehicle standards created by that instrument, or amendments to vehicle standards made by that instrument, that are still in force at the commencement of this Standard.\n\nb. SCOPE\n\nThe function of this vehicle standard is to specify requirements for the design of ‘Head Restraints’ so as to limit the severity of injury in the event of rear-end impacts and to ensure that the ‘Head Restraint’ cannot be adjusted too low.\n\nc. APPLICABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION\n\nC.1. Applicability Summary\n\nThis vehicle standard applies to the design and construction of vehicles as set out in the table below.\n\nC.2. Vehicles certified to Australian Design Rule (ADR) 3/03 or a later version need not comply with this rule.\n\n \nC.3. Applicability Table\n\n```html\n

Vehicle Category

ADR Category Code

UNECE Category Code

Manufactured on or After

Acceptable Prior Rules

Moped 2 wheels

LA

L1

N/A

Moped 3 wheels

LB

L2

N/A

Motor cycle

LC

L3

N/A

Motor cycle and sidecar

LD

L4

N/A

Motor tricycle

LE

L5

LEM

N/A

Enclosed vehicles

LEP & LEG

1 March 1991

Nil

All vehicles

LEP & LEG

1 July 1992

Nil

Passenger car

MA

M1

1 July 1988

Nil

Forward-control passenger vehicle

MB

M1

1 July 1988

Nil

Off-road passenger vehicle

MC

M1

1 July 1988

Nil

Light omnibus

MD

M2

up to 3.5 tonnes ‘GVM’ and up to 12 seats

MD1

1 July 1988

Nil

up to 3.5 tonnes ‘GVM’ and more than 12 seats

MD2

N/A

over 3.5 tonnes and up to 4.5 tonnes ‘GVM’

MD3

N/A

over 4.5 tonnes and up to 5 tonnes ‘GVM’

MD4

N/A

Heavy omnibus

ME

M3

N/A

Light goods vehicle

NA

N1

1 July 1996

Nil

Medium goods vehicle

NB

N2

over 3.5 tonnes up to 4.5 tonnes ‘GVM’

NB1

N/A

over 4.5 tonnes up to 12 tonnes ‘GVM’

NB2

N/A

Heavy goods vehicle

NC

N3

N/A

N/A

Very light trailer

TA

O1

N/A

Light trailer

TB

O2

N/A

Medium trailer

TC

O3

N/A

Heavy trailer

TD

O4

N/A

\n```\n\n \n\n22.1. DEFINITIONS\n\n22.1.1. Refer to Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005.\n\n22.2. PROVISION, LOCATION AND SIZE\n\n22.2.1. A ‘Head Restraint’ must be provided for each front ‘Outboard Seating Position’. It may be provided with vertical and lateral adjustable mounting, and may be removable without the use of tools.\n\n22.2.2. The ‘Head Restraint’ must be so designed that:\n\n22.2.2.1. it presents an impact surface which extends between 2 planes not less than 115 mm apart and normal to the ‘Torso Line’; and\n\n22.2.2.2. the upper boundary of the impact surface is not less than 700 mm above the ‘Seating Reference Point’ measured along the ‘Torso Line’, for any position of adjustment which may be provided.\n\n22.2.3. The width of the ‘Head Restraint’ must be not less than 250 mm for use with bench ‘Seats’ and not less than 170 mm for use with individual ‘Seats’ when measured between heights of 585 mm and 635 mm above the ‘Seating Reference Point’ and along the ‘Torso Line’.\n\n22.2.4. The ‘Head Restraint’ must be so constructed and contoured to decelerate horizontal movements of the head without concentrations of load on it.\n\n22.3. TEST REQUIREMENTS\n\n22.3.1. The ‘Head Restraint’ must meet the conditions of either a dynamic or static test.\n\n22.3.2. In the dynamic test, acceleration of the seat supporting structure of up to 8 times the acceleration due to gravity, must not produce an angular displacement of the ‘Head Reference Line’ of more than 45o.\n\n22.3.3. In the static test the rearmost point of the head form must not be displaced to more than 102 mm perpendicularly ‘Rearward’ of the displaced extended ‘Torso Line’ during the application of the load specified in clause 22.5.3 nor must the ‘Head Restraint’ fail before a failure of the ‘Seat’ back or alternatively before the load has reached 890 N.\n\n22.4. DYNAMIC TEST CONDITIONS\n\n22.4.1. For testing compliance with clause 22.3.2 a dummy having the mass and seated height of a ‘95th Percentile Adult Male’ and with an ‘Approved’ representation of a human articulated neck structure must have lines marked to represent the ‘Torso Line’ and, by extension, the ‘Head Reference Line’.\n\n22.4.2. A dummy meeting the requirements of clause 22.4.1 must be placed in the seating position under test and restrained by a seat belt providing upper torso restraint.\n\n22.4.3. A ‘Forward’ acceleration must be applied to the ‘Seat’ supporting structure. When graphically depicted, the magnitude of the acceleration curve must not be less than that of a half-sine wave having the amplitude of 8 times the acceleration due to gravity and a duration of 80 milliseconds and not more than that of a half-sine wave having an amplitude of 9.6 times the acceleration due to gravity and a duration of 96 milliseconds.\n\n22.5. STATIC TEST CONDITIONS\n\n22.5.1. For compliance with clause 22.3.3 a test device must be selected having back pan dimensions and ‘Torso Line’ of the 3-dimensional manikin specified in the SAE documents “Manikins for Use in Defining and Measuring Vehicle Seating Accommodation”, November 1962 or J826 APR90- “Devices for Use in Defining and Measuring Vehicle Seating Accommodation” (provided that the back pan dimensions are as specified in J826 - November 1962).\n\n22.5.2. To establish the displaced ‘Torso Line’, a test device must be placed in the seating position under test and a ‘Rearward’ moment of 370 Nm about the ‘Seating Reference Point’ must be applied through the back pan.\n\n22.5.3. After removing the back pan, using a 165 mm diameter spherical head form or a cylindrical head form having a 165 mm diameter in plan view and a 150 mm height in profile view, apply perpendicular to the displaced extended ‘Torso Line’, a ‘Rearward’ load, at a point 635 mm along the ‘Torso Line’ from the ‘Seating Reference Point’ that will produce a 370 Nm moment about the ‘Seating Reference Point’.\n\n22.5.4. The load must be gradually increased to 890 N or until the ‘Seat’ back fails, whichever occurs first.\n\n22.6. ALTERNATIVE STANDARDS\n\n22.6.1. The technical requirements of ECE R 25/01, 25/02, 25/03 or 25/04 - “Head restraints (Headrests)” and FMVSS 202-33 F.R. 15065, October 9, 1968 “Head restraints - Passenger Cars” are deemed to be equivalent to the technical requirements of this rule provided that the requirements of clauses 22.2.2, 22.2.3 and 22.2.4 are complied with.\n\n22.6.2. The technical requirements of ECE R 17/03, 17/04 or 17/05 “Seats, their Anchorages and any Head Restraints” are deemed to be equivalent to the technical requirements of this rule provided that the requirements of clauses 22.2.2, 22.2.3 and 22.2.4 are complied with. For vehicles which have an ECE approval to R17, the approval must be for vehicles with ‘seats’ fitted with, or capable of being fitted with a ‘head restraint’\n\nnotes\n\nThis compilation of Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 - Head Restraints) 2006 includes all the instruments set out in the Table of Instruments. The Table of Amendments provides a history of clauses that have been amended, inserted or deleted.\n\n \nTable of Instruments\n\n| Name of Instrument | Registration Date | Commencement Date |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |\n| Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 - Head Restraints) 2006 | 11/05/2006 | 12/05/2006 |\n| Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 - Head Restraints) 2006 Amendment 1 | 11/05/2006 | 12/05/2006 |\n\nTable of Amendments\n\n| Clause affected | How affected | Amending instrument |\n| --------------- | ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| C2. (former) | C2  C3 | Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 - Head Restraints) 2006 Amendment 1 |\n| C2. | ad | Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 22/00 - Head Restraints) 2006 Amendment 1 |\n\nad = added or inserted\n\nam = amended\n\ndel = deleted or removed\n\nrr = removed and replaced\n\n = clause renumbered. This takes the format of old no.  new no.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose: specifying head restraint design requirements for occupant protection in rear-end collisions. While it incorporates updated international standards and refines applicability dates for different vehicle categories, it has not expanded beyond the core safety mandate for headrest design and testing."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive cross-referencing to external definitions (ADR Definitions and Vehicle Categories 2005, SAE documents J826, ECE R 25/01-04, ECE R 17/03-05, FMVSS 202)","Technical measurement requirements requiring specific engineering knowledge (e.g., 'Torso Line', 'Seating Reference Point', '95th Percentile Adult Male', moments measured in Newton-metres)","Conditional compliance pathways (dynamic vs static testing options, alternative international standards with caveats)","Detailed applicability table with multiple vehicle categories, weight thresholds (GVM - Gross Vehicle Mass), and varying commencement dates","Specific geometric constraints (115mm planes, 700mm height, 250mm/170mm widths, 45-degree angular displacement limits)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law sets mandatory safety standards for vehicle head restraints in Australia, applying to manufacturers and importers of passenger vehicles, buses and light trucks. It requires effective, properly positioned and cushioned headrests that meet performance tests (dynamic or static) or equivalent international standards, ensuring protection against whiplash and neck injuries in rear-end crashes."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendments renumbered and updated applicability clauses (former C2 renumbered to C3 and an applicability summary added), per the Table of Amendments. The instrument retains the same technical requirements for head restraint dimensions and tests (22.2–22.5) but clarifies applicability and acceptable prior rules (C.2–C.3; Table of Amendments)."},"complexity_factors":["Technical dynamic test parameters: prescribes dummy size, neck articulation and half‑sine acceleration pulse (8–9.6 g, 80–96 ms) (22.4.1–22.4.3; 22.3.2).","Detailed static test procedure: displaced torso line, 370 Nm moment, specific head form geometry and load ramp to 890 N or seat back failure (22.5.1–22.5.4; 22.3.3).","Measurement and design metrics rely on defined reference points and terms (e.g. Seating Reference Point, Torso Line, Head Reference Line) and cross‑reference another ADR definitions instrument (22.1.1; 22.2.2–22.2.3).","Applicability matrix lists many vehicle categories, manufacture‑on/after dates and prior acceptable rules — determining which vehicles must comply requires checking the table (C.3).","Alternative compliance paths: ECE and FMVSS approvals can be treated as equivalent but only if specific ADR dimensional/contour clauses are met, adding a conditional equivalence assessment (22.6.1–22.6.2).","Compliance burden falls on vehicle designers, manufacturers and importers who must make design choices, run tests or obtain alternative approvals; this creates direct production and certification costs (22.2; 22.3–22.5; 22.6).","Procedural/legal items: commencement and repeal of prior instruments and an amendments table mean implementers must track instrument history and renumbering to confirm current obligations (A.2–A.3; Table of Amendments)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Standard requires head restraints for each front outboard seating position and sets their minimum dimensions, placement and either dynamic or static performance tests. It is intended to limit injury in rear‑end impacts (Scope) and to prevent adjustment below a minimum height. Vehicle manufacturers, importers and certifiers bear the design, testing and compliance costs; compliance may be met by specified equivalent foreign standards (see 22.2, 22.3–22.5, 22.6)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006","history":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006/history","analysis":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-22-00-head-restraints-2006/documents"}}