uber/car seat

[pd1138]

We use the Safety 1st Boostapak and it is awesome. It's a booster that doubles as a backpack and it goes pretty much everywhere with us. We find it to be a better fit for our family than the inflatable boosters.

Looking up this option right now! Thanks!!

 

[Veronique]

You can request an Uber with a car seat in WDW. We were there the beginning of the month and did it all week.

I'm so glad to hear this! I want to go to universal with baby and son (6 years old)... Can you share some (ballpark) price you paid? Thank you!

 

[joelkfla]

I'm so glad to hear this! I want to go to universal with baby and son (6 years old)... Can you share some (ballpark) price you paid? Thank you!

When you said "baby," it caught my attention.

From an Uber press release: "One car seat available in each uberFAMILY vehicle. Weight range: 25 lbs-60 lbs. Suitable for children between ages 2-6."

Many of the seats Uber allows are actually approved down to 20 lbs.; if baby's between 20-24, you may want to text or call the driver to check. Some drivers may have seats that can be converted to rear-facing for children down to 4 lbs., but Uber only requires drivers to know how to install the seats in the forward facing position.

The 6yo is old enough not to require a booster in FL.

You can view fare estimates in the app or at uber.com/cities.

 

[betterbutter]

Uber and other cars services where someone else drives are exempt from the car seat law.

Someone else will come along and interpret the law to mean that the parents are still responsible to use a car seat. That's not how I read the law, and I've never found any court cases supporting that opinion. Read it yourself and do what you're comfortable with.

Not true in Florida. For hire or privately owned are not differentiated as far as child safety restraints go.

 

[Veronique]

When you said "baby," it caught my attention.
From an Uber press release: "One car seat available in each uberFAMILY vehicle. Weight range: 25 lbs-60 lbs. Suitable for children between ages 2-6."
Many of the seats Uber allows are actually approved down to 20 lbs.; if baby's between 20-24, you may want to text or call the driver to check. Some drivers may have seats that can be converted to rear-facing for children down to 4 lbs., but Uber only requires drivers to know how to install the seats in the forward facing position.

Thanks, you're right, she'll be 19 months old but she is already more then 25 pounds at 16 months and I feel totally fine with a front facing car seat for the ride, it's only a 30 minutes ride MAX... and unless they check her passport, I don't see how they could know she's not 24 months

Oh! I just found this too on UBER website:
"Uber Car Seat provides one forward-facing car seat for a child who is at least: (a) 12 months old AND (b) 22 lbs. AND (c) 31 inches. "
https://help.uber.com/h/3abcbae1-132b-42a9-8277-0dab00fa3879


Did anyone try UBERFamily and have any experiences to share about wait time or difficulty with availability, depending on which time departed/arrived, etc.



And just my 2 cents as a law student, I only read the part of the law published here ("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." ) but from the wording it's very clear the drivers really are not responsible, but the parents ARE. So whatever sanction (which refer to section 318) would be the parents responsability. You wouldnt see any lawsuits because it's a traffic infraction, which are usually punished by a fine. In Québec (Canada) such infractions CAN'T even go to trial (some exceptions) (sorry I'm most likely using inexact words, I'm french-speaking )

 

[joelkfla]

Thanks, you're right, she'll be 19 months old but she is already more then 25 pounds at 16 months and I feel totally fine with a front facing car seat for the ride, it's only a 30 minutes ride MAX... and unless they check her passport, I don't see how they could know she's not 24 months

Oh! I just found this too on UBER website:
"Uber Car Seat provides one forward-facing car seat for a child who is at least: (a) 12 months old AND (b) 22 lbs. AND (c) 31 inches. "
https://help.uber.com/h/3abcbae1-132b-42a9-8277-0dab00fa3879


Did anyone try UBERFamily and have any experiences to share about wait time or difficulty with availability, depending on which time departed/arrived, etc.



And just my 2 cents as a law student, I only read the part of the law published here ("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." ) but from the wording it's very clear the drivers really are not responsible, but the parents ARE. So whatever sanction (which refer to section 318) would be the parents responsability. You wouldnt see any lawsuits because it's a traffic infraction, which are usually punished by a fine. In Québec (Canada) such infractions CAN'T even go to trial (some exceptions) (sorry I'm most likely using inexact words, I'm french-speaking )

The quote from the Uber site probably refers to the original Uber Family program in NYC & Washington DC. In those locations, Uber supplied a specific car seat (Immi GO), extensively trained drivers on its use, and had the drivers all individually checked out by the "car seat lady."

The Orlando program is very different. Uber simply asked drivers to purchase, at their own expense, one of a variety of approved car seats, and send a picture of the safety label and of the car seat installed to show that they knew how to install. They said there would be a "brief training session," but I don't know what that entailed. The "car seat lady" has said she was not involved in this program, and does not approve of it.

I think drivers are not so much worried about getting a ticket for an unsecured child (although that's a consideration,) but more about the ramifications of an accident: liability suits, possible insurance denial, and just the safety of the child. There's also some debate as to whether Uber actually qualifies under the hired vehicle exception, since the vehicles are the drivers' private vehicles, not taxis and not dedicated to carrying passengers for hire.

 

[Veronique]

The quote from the Uber site probably refers to the original Uber Family program in NYC & Washington DC. In those locations, Uber supplied a specific car seat (Immi GO), extensively trained drivers on its use, and had the drivers all individually checked out by the "car seat lady."

The Orlando program is very different. Uber simply asked drivers to purchase, at their own expense, one of a variety of approved car seats, and send a picture of the safety label and of the car seat installed to show that they knew how to install. They said there would be a "brief training session," but I don't know what that entailed. The "car seat lady" has said she was not involved in this program, and does not approve of it.

I think drivers are not so much worried about getting a ticket for an unsecured child (although that's a consideration,) but more about the ramifications of an accident: liability suits, possible insurance denial, and just the safety of the child. There's also some debate as to whether Uber actually qualifies under the hired vehicle exception, since the vehicles are the drivers' private vehicles, not taxis and not dedicated to carrying passengers for hire.

I'm actually reading the new law in Quebec that changes the definition of "taxi driver" to includes uber drivers, which might force them to have taxi licenses and follow strict rules (we will see)! So it's pretty much anyone guess! At this point I'd have to look up actual taxi drivers liability in Florida generally and that's too much work lollolol