Riding in taxis and rideshares with kids – what do I need to know about car seats?
Do I need a child seat for my kids or baby in a taxi or rideshare? Before having my baby, I could just jump in a taxi, but now I need to know if I have to use a child seat for my baby or my kids when using taxis or rideshares?We know that taxis and rideshares pre-kids were a thing of ease and convenience – now you have children it can be more difficult or confusing.
Rideshares and taxis are such an easy way to get about, especially on holiday. We often use them to get us to and from the airport or the hotel, but do we need to use a child seat?
In a private vehicle in Australia, you have to transport a child in an approved child seat that meets Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754, and is the correct type of child seat for their age and size until the child is at least seven years old and tall enough to wear an adult seatbelt. (See our handy correct child seat guide here.)
If your child travels in a private vehicle or friend or relative’s car, the same rules apply. But do the same laws apply to travelling in taxis or rideshares? And do they differ from state to state?
Safety is every parent’s main priority and we all agree that child seats are the safest way to transport our child in a vehicle, but they are bulky and heavy, so hauling them along with you can definitely feel like a less convenient option. As if carrying your infant and everything they need isn’t enough! There are backpacks and bags with wheels you can put the child seat into to make taking it easier.
You could consider other options where you do not need to use a child seat, like trains, trams and large public buses, which can be a fun and exciting way for children to travel (see below – small and private buses do require child seats, so make sure you check with the company first).
Knowing how to install your child seats quickly into different cars is going to make life so much easier for you, so make sure you have practised. If you are unsure if a car will fit your child seats in the back, you can look it up on babydrive.com.au and see how to fit your child seats in the back of most cars.
To make it easier I have put together this handy guide. As a mum of two, family car journalist and founder of BabyDrive.com.au.
Here’s my Australia state-by-state guide to taxi and rideshare travel with kids and child seats:
Taking child seats in taxis
It’s worth knowing that in all Australian states and territories taxis must be fitted with at least one top tether anchorage, so you know you can install one child seat in a taxi. If you phone and book ahead you may be able to request a car with more than one top tether anchorage.
Companies like BubsTaxi and BabyTaxi24 can be booked with the correct child seats you’ll need pre-installed.
Laws around children travelling in taxis differ from state to state in Australia, so make sure you know your local laws and if you are travelling interstate make sure you know the laws of the destination you travel into:
New South Wales
The New South Wales Government says –
While travelling in a taxi:
children up to the age of 6 months must use a rear-facing child car seat
children aged between 6 and 12 months must use either a rear-facing child car seat or a forward-facing child car seat with an inbuilt harness
children aged over 12 months must use a booster seat or wear a properly adjusted and fastened seatbelt.
Rules for children in the front seat (see our kids in the front seat article) continue to apply. You can ask the taxi for a child car seat or booster seat when you book, or ask to use your own. All taxis must be fitted with a child restraint anchorage point.
Victoria
Transport Victoria says –
In Victoria, taxi drivers do not have to provide child restraints or booster seats for customers. Taxis are exempt from rules that apply to private cars.
We recommend taking your child’s restraint or booster seat with you.
Under 1 year old, a child must travel in the back seat, but does not have to use a child restraint. Instead, they can be carried by the accompanying adult.
1 year old and over, a child must be in their own seat, with a seatbelt if there is no child restraint or booster seat available.
Taxis must have at least one anchorage point if passengers want to bring their own child restraint.
Queensland
The Queensland Government says –
Child restraints are not required on buses, trains or personalised transport services such as taxi, limousine and ride-booking services. A bus is a motor vehicle that can carry 13 or more people (including the driver).
Although child restraints are not required in personalised transport services, if you give enough notice you may be able to pre-book these services with a child restraint. Alternatively, you can use your own child restraint.
If a child restraint is in the vehicle, the driver is responsible for ensuring the child is properly restrained.
Children less than 1 year old can be held on the lap of someone 16 years or older. Children more than 1 year old and less than 7 years old can be restrained using a seatbelt (but must not sit in the front seat if the vehicle has two or more rows of seats).
South Australia
The South Australia Police Road Safety Centre says –
Taxi drivers are not required to provide child restraints or booster seats. It is recommended that you provide your own child restraint when travelling in a taxi or look for an alternative service that can provide one.
If no child restraint is available, a taxi driver must ensure:
- children under seven years are seated in the rear row in a vehicle that has two or more rows of seats;
- children under 1 year may sit on the lap of a passenger who is 16 years old or older in the rear row, but not between the passenger and the seatbelt;
- children between 1 year and up to seven years are seated in their own seat in the rear row with a seatbelt fastened to the best extent possible given the passenger’s size; and
- children aged from seven years up to 16 years wear a seatbelt.
Western Australia
The Western Australia Government says –
Drivers of taxis and rideshare services must ensure that children aged between 1 and 7 years are restrained in standard seatbelts that are properly adjusted and securely fastened to the best extent possible given the height and weight of the passenger.
There is no requirement for children aged between 1 and 7 years to be secured in a child car restraint while travelling in taxis or rideshare vehicles, however the appropriate restraint is the safest option.
A child aged less than 1 year can be held on the lap of a parent or caregiver aged 16 years or over while travelling in a taxi or rideshare vehicle but cannot share the seatbelt.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory Government says –
Taxi drivers and drivers carrying passengers for hire or reward (commercial vehicle operators) do not have to provide child restraints. However, they must ensure that:
An approved child restraint is used if available.
No passenger under four years of age sits in the front seat.
A child between four years and seven years of age may only sit in the front row if all the other seats in the row or rows behind the front row are occupied by passengers who are also under seven years old.
All taxis should have an anchorage point that can be used to fit a child restraint; however, not all taxis will have a child restraint so you may need to provide your own.
Although an exemption will be provided for all commercial vehicle drivers, passengers must:
occupy individual seating positions and be appropriately restrained
not occupy the same seating position as another passenger
Tasmania
The Tasmanian Government says –
Taxis and public buses are exempt from supplying car seats, therefore children are not required to be seated in a car seat when travelling by taxi or bus. However, all passengers including children must wear seatbelts if they are fitted. If booking a taxi you can ask if they can supply a car seat.
Children under 12 months old are allowed to sit on the lap of an adult passenger in a bus or in the back of a taxi. You can use your own car seat if it is correctly fitted, properly fastened and meets Australian standards. Never let children share a seatbelt with another passenger.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory Government says:
Taxi drivers are exempt from the child restraint laws for children under seven where a suitable child restraint or booster seat is not available. However, they must not share a seatbelt with another passenger.
Taxis must be fitted with at least one child restraint anchorage point. Passengers can use their own child restraint or booster seat in the taxi.
A child under seven must not travel in the front seat of a taxi.
Taking child seats in rideshares and Ubers
You can take your own child seats in rideshares, but you need to be able to install them correctly yourself.
Some rideshares like ‘Uber Child Seat’ have specific rides available in Melbourne and Victoria that you can book with child seats readily installed.
New South Wales
Private vehicle laws apply in New South Wales:
The rules for hire and rideshare vehicles are the same rules that apply to the travel of babies, infants and children in a private vehicle.
Victoria
Private vehicle laws apply in Victoria:
The child restraint rules for rideshare vehicles and hire cars in Victoria are the same as private cars.
This means that all children under the age of 16 must be in a child restraint, booster seat or adult seatbelt that is the correct one for their size and properly adjusted and fastened.
Queensland
The same rules apply to rideshares as with taxis in Queensland:
Child restraints are not required on buses, trains or personalised transport services such as taxi, limousine and ride-booking services. A bus is a motor vehicle that can carry 13 or more people (including the driver).
Although child restraints are not required in personalised transport services, if you give enough notice you may be able to pre-book these services with a child restraint. Alternatively, you can use your own child restraint.
If a child restraint is in the vehicle, the driver is responsible for ensuring the child is properly restrained.
Children less than 1 year old can be held on the lap of someone 16 years or older. Children more than 1 year old and less than 7 years old can be restrained using a seatbelt (but must not sit in the front seat if the vehicle has two or more rows of seats).
South Australia
Private vehicle laws apply in South Australia:
Drivers of ride-sharing services/limousines do not have exemptions from child restraint laws and must comply with all of the requirements for children up to 16 years of age.
Western Australia
The Western Australia laws are the same for rideshares and Ubers as they are for taxis:
Drivers of taxis and rideshare services must ensure that children aged between 1 and 7 years are restrained in standard seatbelts that are properly adjusted and securely fastened to the best extent possible given the height and weight of the passenger.
There is no requirement for children aged between 1 and 7 years to be secured in a child car restraint while travelling in taxis or rideshare vehicles, however the appropriate restraint is the safest option.
A child aged less than 1 year can be held on the lap of a parent or caregiver aged 16 years or over while travelling in a taxi or rideshare vehicle but cannot share the seatbelt.
Northern Territory
Private vehicle laws apply to rideshares and Ubers in the Northern Territory.
Tasmania
Private vehicle laws apply to rideshares and Ubers in Tasmania.
Australian Capital Territory
Private vehicle laws apply in the Australian Capital Territory –
Rideshare vehicles are not exempt from any of the child restraint laws. You must still use a child restraint as if it is your personal vehicle.
Buses
Different rules for using child restraints or booster seats apply depending on the size of the bus.
If the bus has more than 12 seats (including the driver’s seat), children are not required to use child restraints or booster seats. Where possible, use child restraints and booster seats in buses. Otherwise, children must use the seatbelts provided.
If the bus or vehicle has 12 or fewer seats (including the driver’s seat), then all children under the age of seven must use an appropriate child restraint or booster seat.
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