The rules for the use of child car restraints in Taxis is slightly different from the rules for privately owned vehicles, rideshare services, and hired vehicles.
The Victorian child restraint road rules do not require taxi drivers to provide child restraints or booster seats for customers. However, the road rules do require taxi drivers to ensure there is at least one anchor fitting ready for passengers who wish to supply their own restraint.
The Victorian child restraint road rules require that in taxis:
- Children under 1 year of age are not required to use a child restraint, but they must travel in the back seat and be held by a parent or carer.
- Children aged 1 year and over must travel in their own seating position and wear a properly fastened seat belt if a suitable child restraint or booster seat is not available.
- Kidsafe Victoria strongly recommends bringing your child’s own restraint when travelling by taxi wherever possible.
For example, if your child must be seated rear-facing in a private vehicle in Australia, they must be seated rear-facing in a rideshare vehicle.
Some rideshare services offer the use of a child car restraint in their vehicle – if you are to book this service, you must ensure it is the correct and appropriate child car restraint for your child’s age and size.
If using or hiring your own child car restraint, ask the driver or check if the vehicle you are booking a ride with is compatible with the attachments of the child car restraint you plan to use.
Hiring a vehicle in Australia:
Vehicles for hire in Australia are not exempt from complying with the standard If Victorian child car restraint road rules – the same child car restraint road rules apply to hired vehicles as a privately-owned car in Australia
For example, if your child must be seated rear-facing in a private vehicle in Australia, they must be seated rear-facing in a hired vehicle.
Check if the vehicle you are hiring is compatible with the attachments of the child car restraint you plan to use.