Car seats at various ports

[Clipsy01]

I'm not sure were we will be going in 2012 but our daughter will be going with us so the whole experience will be a change for us. We were wondering what the laws or rules are at various ports if you have a car seat and you take a taxi,etc? Anyone have any insight on this?? We are planning on going in Sept. and would like to spend her birthday on a ship. :D

[6rugrats]

Since you haven't listed your child's age or ports, impossible to provide you with specific information. You can do a "search" in this forum, as there are many, many discussions about car seat use. Google can also provide rules regarding child restraints for most countries.

 

That said, if your child must ride in a car seat at home for their own safety, why would the use of restraints even be a question when you are traveling, and planning on riding in a car? They aren't any safer because you aren't at home. Bring the appropriate restraint with you.

[crusinmama06]

I'm not sure were we will be going in 2012 but our daughter will be going with us so the whole experience will be a change for us. We were wondering what the laws or rules are at various ports if you have a car seat and you take a taxi,etc? Anyone have any insight on this?? We are planning on going in Sept. and would like to spend her birthday on a ship. :D

 

Heyyyy we are neighbors!!!! I am right over I99 from you where Logan Valley Mall is. :D

 

Yep, gotta drag that car seat with you. It's not any safer to travel in another country without one. ;)

[Mom2B&Z]

I'm not sure were we will be going in 2012 but our daughter will be going with us so the whole experience will be a change for us. We were wondering what the laws or rules are at various ports if you have a car seat and you take a taxi,etc? Anyone have any insight on this?? We are planning on going in Sept. and would like to spend her birthday on a ship. :D

If you list the age of your child, as well as height, weight and the ports you are considering we can answer your question more specifically.

Many of the countries you may visit do not have car seat laws. That being said, as cruisinmama06 said, your child is safer in a restraint. There are two schools of thought on this topic: those of us (myself included) who bring car seats because we believe our children should be as safe on vacation as they are at home, and those who believe that "when in Rome, do as the Romans" ie no car seat law = no car seat used. As you can probably imagine, both groups have strong views as to why they made their respective choices and the topic can get quite heated.

My own choice is based on the fact I am a certified car seat technician in Canada, work as a health care professional with people with cognitive impairment and have a MSc in neurophysiology. I do not put the health of my childrens' brains ahead of my own convenience.

[Clipsy01]

We are looking at 3 different cruises on 2 different lines currently. Our daughter was born in Sept. so if we go in Sept. 2012 she will be right around 1 yr old. We def. would take a car seat but just didn't know what the laws are of even if some taxi's have seatbelts,etc. Just something we really never noticed when it was just wife and I.

 

Cruisinmama06: We are in Altoona about once a month for shopping and to visit family.

[crusinmama06]

We are looking at 3 different cruises on 2 different lines currently. Our daughter was born in Sept. so if we go in Sept. 2012 she will be right around 1 yr old. We def. would take a car seat but just didn't know what the laws are of even if some taxi's have seatbelts,etc. Just something we really never noticed when it was just wife and I.

 

Cruisinmama06: We are in Altoona about once a month for shopping and to visit family.

 

Sadly, there are no seatbelt laws in other countries. Frankly, they don't care about the welfare of your daughter. :( So, it's up to you. :D

 

Its a little harder in some countries, like St. Thomas, because there are Open Air Safari buses with no seat belts (and there are taxis with seat belts- would have to bring a car seat to make sure she is safe). In others, like the Bahamas, it's easier, because there are taxis (with seat belts) and water taxis (don't need any seat belt because you are on a boat)

 

When you get your cruiseline/itinerary figured out, the best thing to do is to THEN figure out what excursions you want to do. THEN figure out the safest way to get there. :D

 

There are a bunch of different ways to get around the car seats by taking full excursion BUSES or water taxis. But you won't know this until you figure out a cruiseline/itinerary. :)

 

Happy shopping!

[6rugrats]

Sadly, there are no seatbelt laws in other countries.

There are child restraint/seat belt laws in most countries. Some for common Caribbean ports below:

 

Aruba/Curacao:

Law requires drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. Children under 5 years of age should be in a child safety seat; older children should ride in the back seat.

 

Bahamas:

All passengers and driver must wear seat belts. A child weighing less than twenty pounds shall face the rear of the vehicle, secured in an infant seat fitted to the rear seat. A child twenty pounds and less than forty pounds shall be secured in a seat fitted to the rear seat. A child over forty pounds, or up to 4 ft. 9 in. tall shall be secured in a booster seat fitted in the rear seat. A child taller than 4ft 9 in, and between 8 and 12 years old shall be required to use a seat belt.

 

Barbados:

Children four and under must be restrained in an approved child restraint designed for their height and weight in the back seat. The driver and other passengers are required to wear seat belts.

 

Bermuda:

Effective 1 January 2004, under The Motor Car Act 1951 and Motor Car (Seat Belts) Regulations 2002, Adults sitting in the front seat must wear a seat belt in all 4 -wheeled vehicles including Commercial and Taxis. Adults in the rear seat are not required to do so. Children from birth to one year and 20 lbs in weight must be in a rear facing seat. Children from 1 year and 20lbs to 40 lbs must be in a forward-facing child seat. Children from 40 to 80 lbs must use a seat belt positioning device or booster seat. All children are safest in the back seat.

 

Cayman Islands:

The Cayman Islands law (Traffic Law 2003 (revision) section 62 and 63) states that any child travelling in a motor vehicle must wear a seatbelt. All children who are under 53 inches (135 cm) or 12 years of age should sit in the back seat and use the correct child restraint. After this they may sit in either the front or back seat and must use an adult seat belt. Children under three years of age MUST use the rear seat and be seated in a car seat designed for their age and height. It is illegal to place a child in a rear-facing child seat in the front of a vehicle, which is protected by an active frontal airbag, as the child can easily be killed if the airbag is activated.

 

Costa Rica:

Costa Rica now requires children to ride in an appropriate car seat until they outgrow it (typically 110 cm or 43 inches) and then to use a safety booster until they are 12 years old and 145 cm (57 inches). Law requires the use of seat belts by all passengers.

 

Dominican Republic:

No car seat laws. Seat belts required by law.

 

Grand Cayman:

The Cayman Islands law (Traffic Law 2003 (revision) section 62 and 63) states that any child travelling in a motor vehicle must wear a seatbelt. All children who are under 53 inches (135 cm) or 12 years of age should sit in the back seat and use the correct child restraint. After this they may sit in either the front or back seat and must use an adult seat belt. Children under three years of age MUST use the rear seat and be seated in a car seat designed for their age and height. It is illegal to place a child in a rear-facing child seat in the front of a vehicle

 

Jamaica:

Drivers and passengers in the front seat required to wear seat belts. Children 12 and under are not allowed to sit in the front seat. Car seats should be used in the back seat for passengers four and under.

 

Mexico:

Mexican law requires both the driver and front seat passenger to wear seat belts, but passengers in the back seat do not have to do so. Children under the age of 12 should sit in the back seat. Children under the age of five must sit in a carseat fastened by the car seat belt in the back seat.

 

Puerto Rico:

Puerto Rico Transit Law 22: Children under the age of four must be seated in the back seat of the car, in an appropriate child restraint device. Children 12 and under must be seated in the rear seat. All passengers required to wear a seat belt.

 

St.Lucia:

All passengers required by law to wear seatbelts. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat.

 

St. Maarten:

Law requires all passengers to wear a seatbelt. Children under the age of four are to be restrained in an appropriate child safety seat in the rear seat. Children under 12 not allowed to ride in the front seat.

 

Trinidad:

The driver of a motor vehicle referred to in section 43A(1) shall ensure that a child under six months of age is restrained in a properly fastened, rear facing child restraint. If the child is over six months and under four years, they shall be restrained in properly fastened rearward facing restraint, or a forwarding facing restraint that has a built-in harness. If a child is over four years old, but under five, they shall be restrained in a properly fastened forward facing restraint with a built-in harness or an approved booster seat. All passengers required by law to wear seat belts.

 

US Virgin Islands:

Driver and front passenger must be restrained by a safety belt. Any child under age five must be in a car seat. In the case of a child aged three through five, seat belts can be used

but the child must ride in the backseat. Any child older than five but under twelve must wear a safety belt.

[Woodmnky]

We are also going to be cruising for our son's 1st birthday, although he is in a convertable carseat when at home I am keeping the infant seat handy to take with us. We have a travel system and that way I can just click the seat into the stroller and go. DS will be on the verge of having outgrown it by then, but it would be nearly impossible to drag along our Britax carseat which weighs about 27lbs. Our infant seat has the belt paths that can be used without the base, which will make quick installation easier.

Don't know what car seats you have, but you may be able to do something similar.

[crusinmama06]

Sadly, there are no seatbelt laws in other countries.

 

I think I was tired when I typed that. ;) There ARE seat belt laws. There are NOT taxi drivers that enforce that laws in all countries.

 

Thanks Rugrats. :D

[6rugrats]

It's all a moot point anyway. There should never be any "are car seats required at my port" questions. It doesn't matter what the law may or may not be. It's irresponsible to not have your child in a correct child restraint system.

 

If these posters think lugging a car seat around is a pain or inconvenient, what until their children are older. They will wish all they had to do was carry around a car seat.

[crusinmama06]

It's all a moot point anyway.

 

VERY true. ;)

[Mom2B&Z]

We are also going to be cruising for our son's 1st birthday, although he is in a convertable carseat when at home I am keeping the infant seat handy to take with us. We have a travel system and that way I can just click the seat into the stroller and go. DS will be on the verge of having outgrown it by then, but it would be nearly impossible to drag along our Britax carseat which weighs about 27lbs. Our infant seat has the belt paths that can be used without the base, which will make quick installation easier.

Don't know what car seats you have, but you may be able to do something similar.

No it's not impossible to bring your Britax, we've done it since DS2 was 2 yrs old. Plus it likely has built-in lock offs that make it very easy to install in a variety of situations. Please don't use the infant seat if your son has outgrown it, it won't be safe.

If you let me know which Britax I can give you a hand with the installation.