taxi - true they don't require carseats?

[jecatro]

Is it true?
Even if they don't require it, is it a really bad idea to travel with 3 and 4 year old from airport?

 

[Gracie09]

Is it true?
Even if they don't require it, is it a really bad idea to travel with 3 and 4 year old from airport?

Bad idea. The laws of physics don't change because you are on vacation. Use a car service (aka limo service) and ask for a car with a car seat and a booster

 

[EagleScout]

Yes, it is true that taxis are exempt from the carseat requirement. while obviously carseats exist for a reason, I can tell you We have taken our then 20 month old and then 31 month old in a taxi (or limo service) to/from the airport without a carseat, and also took taxis from hotel to mk when running late and trying to make a reservation. And each time was no problem. If important to you, I assume there are probably limo services you can reserve that will provide a carseat, particularly for an airport trip.

 

[maplevale]

I would not put my kids in a car without a seat.

However - at 3 and 4 you may be able to get away with a booster - while I would not do that at home I would consider if they met the minimum requirements.

 

[angelmom27]

Actually no they are not exempt. FL says that all vehicles that a child is in must have a car seat. The only exempt form of transportation is a bus. FL is a bit too relaxed and a 4 yr old under the law could ride in just a seat with a belt but I wouldn't do it.

The companies won't say anything if you do ride without one but if a cop sees it and decides to pull the taxi over there will be a ticket.

 

[luvmy3]

I think a great business opportunity would be a taxi service that caters to families of young kids who need carseats. Hhmm, maybe I can convince dh that FL is the place to start it

OP, I would not trust my child not in a carseat from the airport. You are traveling on a highway at a high rate of speed, and with many tourists. I think its a horrible idea.

Maybe there is a particular company that can send a taxi with carseats for you. You may have to wait instead of just being able to jump in one parked outside, but IMO it would be worth it.

I'm sorry I don't know where I got you were coming from the airport, I must have this confused with another thread. I still wouldn't trust a taxi without carseats. Alot could happen, even in a short distance.

 

[Gracie09]

here is the whole law

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



here is the pertinent portions

316.613 Child restraint requirements.—
(1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined in this section, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.


(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(47), to comply with the requirements of this section.


So call a company that provides car seats.

 

[bumbershoot]

Even if they don't require it, is it a really bad idea to travel with 3 and 4 year old from airport?

Seems fairly easy to work out. Just imagine having an accident with them in vs not in a carseat.

 

[Spunky946]

Why are you taking a taxi from the airport and not using Magical express?

 

[Help Please!]

I absolutely wouldn't! I drive in that area at least once a month, and there are so many tourists and crazy people driving, there's no way I would put my kids at risk.

 

[Snickals]

Taxi drivers will happily let children ride with no carseat there, they are making money either way...however you are able to request a taxi with a carseat. This is best done ahead of time as not all carry them and could take time finding one that does.

 

[Happyjen27]

Yes it's true, Taxis are exempt from the car seat requirement.

Is it a bad idea? Yup.

 

[Alesia]

Yes it's true, Taxis are exempt from the car seat requirement.

Not in Florida.

 

[Pizzaman12]

Has anyone found a taxi company that will serve the local Disney properties and provide a car seat? We have only a few spots where we expect to go from one place to another without monorail, bus, etc. I'd rather not haul a car seat down for our trip if we're only going to use it once or twice, so would prefer to find a taxi company that can oblige down there.

I already have our limo ride to and from the airport covered. It's more like Polynesian to Tree Tops that I'm concerned with.

 

[abinormal]

I really wouldn't trust a seat from a cab company. You don't know its history - whether it's too old, the right fit for for the child, if it's been in a crash, or even if it will be clean. Not stuff I'd want to be surprised with at that moment.

 

[Pizzaman12]

I really wouldn't trust a seat from a cab company. You don't know its history - whether it's too old, the right fit for for the child, if it's been in a crash, or even if it will be clean. Not stuff I'd want to be surprised with at that moment.

That's why I was asking if anyone had a positive experience we could follow up on.

 

[Alesia]

Has anyone found a taxi company that will serve the local Disney properties and provide a car seat? We have only a few spots where we expect to go from one place to another without monorail, bus, etc. I'd rather not haul a car seat down for our trip if we're only going to use it once or twice, so would prefer to find a taxi company that can oblige down there.

I already have our limo ride to and from the airport covered. It's more like Polynesian to Tree Tops that I'm concerned with.

Mears is the only company that is allowed to pick up on Disney property, they will provide car seats.

 

[kohlby]

Though I normally wouldn't put kids that age in boosters, perhaps that's a good compromise. A couple backless boosters are easy to travel with. Carseats don't count towards your luggage allotment when flying by air usually. Also, since boosters can be found for cheap, you may decide to get rid of them at the airport before you fly back if you wish. I've found the backless ones on sale for two for $25 at K-mart before!

Another idea is a travel car "seat." I used one for my oldest when we flew. It was not approved for airline use, so keep that in mind. It was straps and easy to pack. However, it took a bit of work to get him in and out of the seat. That's not a huge issue if you're only using it twice on your trip, but it was a bit of an annoyance since we used ours so much. I did a quick search, as it's been a while since I used ours, and saw that there's now something called the rider safe travel vest, so that's something else worth looking into. Perhaps you could use one of those for the 3 year old and a backless booster for the 4 year old.

 

[crisi]

Not in Florida.

Which is fairly new. When my kids were carseat age (and they are now teenagers), cars for hire did have the exemption in Florida.

In Florida it isn't hard to hire a car service that will provide car seats. The transportation board will have a lot of recommendations. They may not be ideal as someone said you don't know what their history is, and they are often sort of gross, but they are there.

Personally, I wouldn't ever travel with a carseat - but when mine were carseat age there were two of them - and two carseats is far more hassle than I'd be willing to deal with. We rented a car and rented carseats when the kids were little - got brand new seats too - but did have to wait two hours for them since the rental company had to go out and buy them - they'd run out.

 

[blessedby3]

It always freaked me out when we flew into MCO and took ME and they kids were riding without car seats or seat belts. They are also not in car seats when you are on the Disney busses. Again, freaks me out, but there is nothing I can do once on property.
When we have flown into Sanford and used a car service, we just brought our own seat and stored it in the room.
I would use a car service with a seat for the airport to the resort (if you aren't using ME) and just forgo the seat once on property and use regular seat belts in the taxi. Not my favorite idea, but I also wouldn't want to lug 2 seats around when going to meals or the parks.
Like I said, if you were taking the bus there would be no car seats.