Car seats - getting to Port of Miami

[MunFam]

Have you checked statute 316.613 2: 

For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a child booster seat may be used. However, the requirement to use a child restraint device under this subparagraph does not apply when a safety belt is used as required in s. 316.614(4)(a) and the child:

a. Is being transported gratuitously by an operator who is not a member of the child’s immediate family;

I emailed them (last May 2015) to confirm our 4 year old would not need a carseat under this law and was told:
Thank you for your question. The statutes you referenced are applicable. While this office is not permitted to engage in statutory interpretation or provide legal advice, please note s. 316.613(6) which states:

The child restraint requirements imposed by this section do not apply to a chauffeur-driven taxi, limousine, sedan, van, bus, motor coach, or other passenger vehicle if the operator and the motor vehicle are hired and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.

For questions or additional information, please contact the Division of Law Revision and Information at(850)488-4371or email rev.info@leg.state.fl.us.

So unless that changed, you are okay without one for the 6 year old.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is being transported gratuitously by an operator who is not a member of the child’s immediate family;

I understand this to mean, if someone other than a family member (like a friend's parent, or neighbor) is driving that child, a car seat is not required. As in "can I catch a ride home from school/event?".

The child restraint requirements imposed by this section do not apply to a chauffeur-driven taxi, limousine, sedan, van, bus, motor coach, or other passenger vehicle if the operator and the motor vehicle are hired and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.

And this means, since taxis (and all those other things) are not GRATUITOUS transportation (you're paying for them) this doesn't apply.

 

[pandy1024]

I think the Runway Inn shares the airport shuttle with Comfort Suites. The shuttle dropped someone off there before going to Comfort Suites. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but FWIW, it didn't look that nice from the outside. I should also mention that we waited maybe 30 minutes for the airport shuttle and had to wait outside. We passed a group at another terminal (maybe international) who said they had been waiting for 45 minutes, but we couldn't take them since the shuttle was already full. I think it just depends if a lot of flights are arriving at the same time.

Here's a list of hotels with free port shuttles that I looked at when I was planning:
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/hotels-shuttle-port-miami-miami-airport-105612.html

I think the Florida law only applies to kids 5 and under? So if you decide to bring a car seat instead, you would only need it for your 3 year old. The Bubble Bum is inflatable, so when deflated, it rolls up into the included pouch and is only about the size of a rolled up bath towel.

thanks for the heads up. When I found it, my first thought that it wasn't as super as the other chains that I had heard of. But quite honestly, as long as it's clean, I really don't care. So hopefully it's not super dirty.
I am really hoping for a flawless travel so hopefully we don't have to wait so long!

When I was googling the car seat stuff, I came across this.
http://www.sunstarems.com/public-safety-florida-car-seat-law/
So, I'm thinking that now, kids under 8 require a booster. (this similar to my provincial law)

This board is so enlightening! I had never heard of Bubble Bum until this forum!

 

[coloradocutie]

Don't know how much this helps, other to say it's doable... for all of our cruises/travels we have lugged carseats x 2. We expect it, just like we expect to have to bring suitcases. We currently lug a Britax roundabout and a Britax high back booster, each in the britax transport bags . The bags have wheels and make it easy to move the carseats around an airport/hotel/etc. On the cruises we have then stored the seats in the closet or under the bed. Even if we only used the seats for transport from the hotel to the port, we bring the carseats. We just decided years ago that we were going to travel a lot with the little ones, and traveling with little ones means car seats, and that was that for us. We don't second guess our decision, we just make it as easy as possible logistically to move them around, hence the Britax travel bags. It's worked for us. We have done it for years and now the little ones are excited to be in on the action/lugging. Our last flight (last month) my 6 year old was having a blast pulling her carseat through the airport! DH (the designated carseat lugger) really liked that!
HTH. Enjoy your cruise!

 

[MunFam]

I understand this to mean, if someone other than a family member (like a friend's parent, or neighbor) is driving that child, a car seat is not required. As in "can I catch a ride home from school/event?".



And this means, since taxis (and all those other things) are not GRATUITOUS transportation (you're paying for them) this doesn't apply.

Here is the link to the entire law. I saw multiple Q&As stating that kiddos did not need car seats. We ended up just using a lap belt. Now Im all confused.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes...eat&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.613.html

 

[2-pointdoe]

Here is the link to the entire law. I saw multiple Q&As stating that kiddos did not need car seats. We ended up just using a lap belt. Now Im all confused.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=child+seat&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.613.html

This part makes it sound like the taxi driver is not held responsible if you don't bring one but the parent is. I can't tell if it is still required or not.
(6) The child restraint requirements imposed by this section do not apply to a chauffeur-driven taxi, limousine, sedan, van, bus, motor coach, or other passenger vehicle if the operator and the motor vehicle are hired and used for the transportation of persons for compensation. It is the obligation and responsibility of the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for a child’s welfare as defined in s. 39.01 to comply with the requirements of this section.

I am so glad that dd is 8 and not legally required as we are not bringing one this trip. I will be super nervous though. We use a high back booster at home and she just moved out of a full harnessed car seat last spring as she is on the slender side.

 

[FindMeAFishingSpot]

I'll add in for the Bubble Bum. Bought it for our cruise last year and will use again this year. We haven't had an issue with it shifting. DS is 7 years old but only 40 pounds so I feel more comfortable with something.

 

[KalamityJane]

Here is the link to the entire law. I saw multiple Q&As stating that kiddos did not need car seats. We ended up just using a lap belt. Now Im all confused.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=child+seat&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.613.html

They changed the law in the fall of 2014 I believe, to require car seats up to 4 years old and a car seat or booster up to 6 years old. That might be why Q&As said differently.