What are the laws about car seats in taxis? I was at JFK last night (I got STUCK in New York after already having been away from my baby for a week,ugh!) and a woman got into a taxi with a baby who looked to be about 18 months old and they didn't have a car seat at all. How is that legal?? I kind of wanted to call the cops.
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This is not a NYC answer and therefore isn't helpful at all, but I know that when I lived in Alberta, Canada, you could take a child in a taxi or a bus/public transit without a car seat.
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I believe it is legal.
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@travelingnanny: I figured the taxi driver probably would have to turn her down if it wasn't legal, but I was shocked. You go on major highways leaving JFK, it's not like city driving where you don't go over 30mph.
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It's not illegal but makes me super uncomfortable!
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Car seats are not required in NYC taxis. (and you don't have to wear your seatbelt either!) Doesn't make sense to me but she wasn't breaking the law.
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It's totally legal! Omg imagine if you called the cops! Hahaha
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I don't live in NYC but have been multiple times and have never seen any moms use a car seat for toddlers in taxis unless they are in an infant car seat which is easier to tote around b/c most of them use car seat strollers which they plop into the trunk.
I live in a big Asian city and it's the same here. I just carry my youngest (24 months) and my oldest (almost 5) likes to use the seat belt even if he's too short to use it without a booster. Actually my youngest wants to use the seat belt most times too which makes me uncomfortable but better than having a screaming toddler the entire time. At least there are seat belt laws for the adults here.
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Like others said, we can even leave the hospital in a cab with a newborn in our arms. No requirement in taxis. Some car services have seats you can request, but don't have to. Seems bonkers that there's been so much public health lobbying against large sodas while our babies are at risk!
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@anandam: you can totally bring your own car seat but I don't think it would be fair for them to require cabs to have them. Sometimes luggage or large purchases barely fit in the trunk . They couldn't fit a car seat in there too.
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Like others have said, it's totally legal in NYC (and I think in other big cities as well). We did it in Israel recently, and it was definitely a bit nervewracking!
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@hotchildinthecity: We agree. It would be a logistic nightmare to require all cab drivers to provide. But maybe there could be a special medallion to carry kids under a certain age, or the burden could be direct requirement on parents riding with kids?
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It is legal. We used to live in NYC and rode a small handful of times with our son under 1 with no seat. It is not the best solution, but sometimes the logistics of living in NY just don't allow for a car seat. We only ever did it if there was just no way to take alternate transport. It definitely made me nervous.
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Yep. I usually don't take taxis anyway, but the thought of having to drag around a car seat makes me want to tear my hair out. Give me the subway and bus any day.
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13 comments