California seat belt law and taxis

[abdisneyfam]

Does anyone have experience with taking a taxi with two kids (4&7) from the Amtrak station in Anaheim to DL? Are taxis normally OK with the kids not having booster seats? Do some taxi companies provide them? We will be coming off a cruise to DL and I really don't want to lug my boosters all the way from Canada.
Thanks all

 

[thatgrljme]

Per this website it looks like they are required in every vehicle but the Disneyland Express (the bus).

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...Car.Seats.For.Children.Under.8.Years.Old.html

 

[Aladora]

Does anyone have experience with taking a taxi with two kids (4&7) from the Amtrak station in Anaheim to DL? Are taxis normally OK with the kids not having booster seats? Do some taxi companies provide them? We will be coming off a cruise to DL and I really don't want to lug my boosters all the way from Canada. Thanks all

Taxis are not exempt from car seat laws and they do not provided them. I know how much of a pain it is to bring boosters from Canada, we still bring out 9 year old's booster since he is still too short for the seat belt to fit correctly.

There is a car company that does provide them, Lansky's and there may be others but if not, just bring yours from home.

 

[Mouser172]

We took Lansky's on our last trip and it worked out great! They were on time and professional. The Honda odyssey was much nicer than a taxi van. We didn't have any children with us so I can't speak about their car seat situation.

 

[meagus]

We took Lansky's on our last trip and it worked out great! They were on time and professional. The Honda odyssey was much nicer than a taxi van. We didn't have any children with us so I can't speak about their car seat situation.

I can vouch for Lansky too. We used them for our transfers after arriving from Australia (no way I was lugging car seats over!). I just told them what we needed when i booked them, and they provided 2 car seats and a booster seat for our 2,5&7 year olds, with no extra charge at all. They were waiting at the airport for us, helped with our luggage....they were fabulous!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

In place of the regular boosters, you could bring an inflatable booster seat like these: http://www.amazon.com/BubbleBum-Inf...286323&sr=8-1&keywords=bubblebum+booster+seat They are great for traveling or carpools where you need to squeeze in an extra kid between carseats.

 

[AngiTN]

Taxi's and car seats are hard to figure out. I always wonder what people who don't own cars and live in a big city do. I can't imagine walking around with a car seat while in New York City, for instance.

In place of the regular boosters, you could bring an inflatable booster seat like these: http://www.amazon.com/BubbleBum-Inf...286323&sr=8-1&keywords=bubblebum+booster+seat They are great for traveling or carpools where you need to squeeze in an extra kid between carseats.

This is what I ordered for us to use (Zulily had them for $19 last week). Granted, it only works if you have one big enough for a booster. If you have one still in a 5 point harness you'll have to use a car company that provides one. Though read reviews. I believe some here have encountered old (expired) seats being brought. If DGD was still in a 5 point seat I am not sure what I'd do. Opt for a bus instead of a car I think.

 

[abdisneyfam]

I was looking at the BubbleBum one, but I live in Canada and they aren't legal here so I wouldnt be able to sell it once we returned. I think what I am going to do is try to pack our backless boosters in our luggage. We have gigantic suitcases so I think they will fit. We are just going to be taking a cab from the Amtrak Anaheim station to the hotel, which I believe is only 2 miles so it seems silly to buy new seats. But I don't want to be denied a cab because we don't have seats.......transportation and traveling with kids is the hardest part of planning a trip

 

[01spirit750]

seats.......transportation and traveling with kids is the hardest part of planning a trip

True.

We have had the worst luck with car seats and airlines. The airlines lost our checked car seat 2x on trips to disneyland. Luckily Southwest airlines has loaners available. Note, that the car seat was left with all the other wheel chairs and car seats right were you step on the plane in the jetway, but still did not make it on the plane.

We just started carrying the booster on the plane and taking up overhead bin space. We did not want to but we got tired of them getting lost. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the lost car seat and loaner paper work at the baggage claim office.

Our booster seat was lost once going to Maui, no loaners were available and I had already gotten the rental car. Had to goto Target and buy one.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I was just chatting with a friend about this, and she said that she thought that the law was that you have to have a child in a booster/car seat in a taxi if they are on the highway, but if the taxi is only on surface streets, you don't need the booster, but the child must be in the backseat. I don't have a drivers license so I always use public transit or taxis, but I haven't ever taken DS in a taxi because of the booster thing, so this was news to me. I did a little research, and it does sound like she might be right. Here's one website I found with a discussion on it: http://www.akuaku.org/2008/10/childseats-are-not-required-in-taxis-in-california.html

I'm certainly not an expert on this, and like I said, I have never taken DS in a taxi because I thought we needed a car seat or booster (and frankly, I feel better if he's in a safety seat), but I am curious now to learn more about the law and see what the actual requirements are for taxis.

and edited to add that another friend just said that she tried to take a cab in San Francisco with her 5 year old and didn't have a booster, and even though it was just on surface streets, the driver said he wouldn't take her because the law says they needed the booster. So even if the law says it's only needed on the highway, odds are that taxi drivers would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[DahliaRW]

The other option for travel is the ride safer travel vest if those are legal in Canada.

But in your case, probably using Lansky's or bringing your own is your best bet.

Too bad the bubble bum is not legal in Canada - they are such a great travel seat!

 

[Aladora]

I was just chatting with a friend about this, and she said that she thought that the law was that you have to have a child in a booster/car seat in a taxi if they are on the highway, but if the taxi is only on surface streets, you don't need the booster, but the child must be in the backseat. I don't have a drivers license so I always use public transit or taxis, but I haven't ever taken DS in a taxi because of the booster thing, so this was news to me. I did a little research, and it does sound like she might be right. Here's one website I found with a discussion on it: http://www.akuaku.org/2008/10/childseats-are-not-required-in-taxis-in-california.html

I'm certainly not an expert on this, and like I said, I have never taken DS in a taxi because I thought we needed a car seat or booster (and frankly, I feel better if he's in a safety seat), but I am curious now to learn more about the law and see what the actual requirements are for taxis.

and edited to add that another friend just said that she tried to take a cab in San Francisco with her 5 year old and didn't have a booster, and even though it was just on surface streets, the driver said he wouldn't take her because the law says they needed the booster. So even if the law says it's only needed on the highway, odds are that taxi drivers would rather be safe than sorry.

As far as I know, the California car seat law was updated in 2012, after the link your posted was written.


The California Vehicle code section that was quoted in the link now reads:

27360. (a) Except as provided in Section 27363, a parent, legal
guardian, or driver shall not transport on a highway in a motor
vehicle, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section
27315, a child or ward who is under eight years of age, without
properly securing that child in a rear seat in an appropriate child
passenger restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a driver if the parent or
legal guardian of the child is also present in the motor vehicle and
is not the driver.

And the part about taxis has been removed as far as I can tell.

And this is the part that actually lays out the age/weight/height requirements:

(c) A child weighing more than 40 pounds may be transported in the
backseat of a vehicle while wearing only a lap safety belt when the
backseat of the vehicle is not equipped with a combination lap and
shoulder safety belt.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 27360, a child or ward under eight
years of age who is four feet nine inches in height or taller may be
properly restrained by a safety belt, as defined in paragraph (2) of
subdivision (d) of Section 27315, rather than by a child passenger
restraint system.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 27360, a child or ward under eight
years of age may ride properly secured in an appropriate child
passenger restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle
safety standards in the front seat of a motor vehicle under any of
the following circumstances:
(1) There is no rear seat.
(2) The rear seats are side-facing jump seats.
(3) The rear seats are rear-facing seats.
(4) The child passenger restraint system cannot be installed
properly in the rear seat.
(5) All rear seats are already occupied by children seven years of
age or under.
(6) Medical reasons necessitate that the child or ward not ride in
the rear seat. The court may require satisfactory proof of the child'
s medical condition.
(f) Notwithstanding subdivision (e), a child shall not be
transported in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system in the
front seat of a motor vehicle that is equipped with an active frontal
passenger airbag.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

As far as I know, the California car seat law was updated in 2012, after the link your posted was written.

The California Vehicle code section that was quoted in the link now reads:

And the part about taxis has been removed as far as I can tell.

And this is the part that actually lays out the age/weight/height requirements:

Thanks for finding that! We were hunting on phones and tablets and not spotting it!

 

[Aladora]

Thanks for finding that! We were hunting on phones and tablets and not spotting it!

You're welcome! Car seat safety is a big thing for me. Heck, our son was in a 5pt seat until after he turned 6 and at 9, he still uses a booster. He's a little kid so he is going to be using one for a while!

 

[SMD]

I'd look into how much walking is involved if you take ART. Or have one parent call a cab and take the bags and the other use OCTA with the kids. Like you said, it's only 2 miles.

 

[bcwife76]

The other option for travel is the ride safer travel vest if those are legal in Canada.

But in your case, probably using Lansky's or bringing your own is your best bet.

Too bad the bubble bum is not legal in Canada - they are such a great travel seat!

I live in Canada and have this same issue, we are taking a cruise down to San Diego and then the Amtrak up to Anaheim to go to DLR for 3 days. We don't want to lug our boosters either so I bought 2 bubble bum seats from Zulily a few weeks ago when they had them for $19 each. I know they aren't legal in Canada but we usually travel outside of Canada so I think we'll still be able to use these several times before our kids are old enough not to need boosters.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Just an FYI, my friend took a cab from SNA to the Grand Californian on Monday with her 6 year old son, and they did not have a booster. The cab driver said it is ok for kids to not be in a booster seat (don't know about car seat), but it is at the driver's discretion and they can refuse to take you. My friend said they take cabs like this all the time and she has never been refused.

I was surprised, but that's her experience.

 

[starshine514]

You're welcome! Car seat safety is a big thing for me. Heck, our son was in a 5pt seat until after he turned 6 and at 9, he still uses a booster. He's a little kid so he is going to be using one for a while!

I hear you. My DD8 is still in a 5-point in our Camry. She still fits and it's much easier to do 3-across with a harnessed seat than a booster.

OP. Depending on charges for checked luggage/oversize bags, you still might be better off with Bubblebums than lugging regular boosters around. Just weigh all the costs before you decide!

 

[LisaT91403]

Just an FYI, my friend took a cab from SNA to the Grand Californian on Monday with her 6 year old son, and they did not have a booster. The cab driver said it is ok for kids to not be in a booster seat (don't know about car seat), but it is at the driver's discretion and they can refuse to take you. My friend said they take cabs like this all the time and she has never been refused.

I was surprised, but that's her experience.

The cab driver is wrong. It is illegal for a child under the age of 8 not to be in some kind of car seat (booster or otherwise) in California. That's the law. The cab driver probably didn't want to give up the fare, and figured the odds are he would not get pulled over and ticketed.

 

[SMD]

The cab driver is wrong. It is illegal for a child under the age of 8 not to be in some kind of car seat (booster or otherwise) in California. That's the law. The cab driver probably didn't want to give up the fare, and figured the odds are he would not get pulled over and ticketed.

If the parent is in the car I think that the parent gets the ticket anyway. If so, the risk isn't really on him. I'm always surprised in these threads how many people don't think CA law applies to them when they visit.