Tips for Ridesharing with Kids
Kids can be a handful. Traveling with an infant can feel like climbing Mount Everest, for all the preparation and stuff you’ve got to pack. If you’re going to be traveling with kids and using a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, you’ll want to know the basic rules of ridesharing with kids. The basic rules are that you need to follow the rules of your city and/or state as if you were driving your own car.
The website, saferidesforkids.com has put together a pretty easy reference guide for state car seat laws.
Here are the official policies of each company:
Lyft Rideshare Rules
Children are welcome to join you in a ride but aren’t permitted to ride alone in a Lyft vehicle.
We’re happy to give kids a ride as well as adults as long as your children have the proper car seats that fit legal requirements in your state and city. Plan on providing your own car seat for children that require one. – Lyft.com
Uber Rideshare Rules
We expect riders and drivers to follow local rules and regulations regarding infants and small children. Riders are welcome to bring a car seat with them to install and use in the Uber. However, if you do not feel comfortable transporting children, with or without a car seat, it is up to you whether to accept the ride. – uber.com
Drivers can (and will) turn down a ride if you don’t have a proper car seat, and very few drivers will actually have car seats available for use. It would be irresponsible and unsafe for them to take children without the proper car seat, both for legal and ethical reasons. And you’ll be putting them in a needlessly awkward situation by requesting such a ride.
If you’re in the New York City area, Uber is now offering a new service, Uber Car Seat. Uber Car Seat provides 1 forward-facing car seat for a child who is at least (a) 12 months old AND (b) 22 lbs AND (c) 31 inches. A child is too big at 48 lbs or 52 inches. The service cost an extra $10.
However, there are low-cost and lightweight alternatives for you, that will save you money in the long run if you’re going to be traveling with kids often.
Good Carseats for Ridesharing with Kids
If your little one is still in an infant car seat, make sure you’ve got the appropriate base (like the one pictured below.) These can be easily hooked into the car in a few seconds.
Wedging the infant seat behind the passenger’s seat is not safe. You don’t want to be left stranded with an infant, so make sure to plan ahead.
You’ll need the base that corresponds with your brand of seat.
If you’ve got a child who’s ready for a stand-alone seat, I’d recommend this one. It weighs just 10 pounds, which sounds like a lot, but other seats can be as much as 30 pounds. It’s also easy to get installed in the car and can be put in either forward or rear-facing as needed.
It’s also approved for airplane use.
For kiddos from four to 11 years old (and 40-100 pounds), there the “BubbleBum” inflatable seat. It’s been rated a “Best Bet” Booster by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 7 years in a row. And It conveniently deflates and rolls up for easy storage when you’re out of the car.
Ridesharing with kids can be a hassle. But, if you do your homework, and plan ahead, you can make it much, much easier.
