Car seats for Florida and Mexico ages 4 and 6???

[AandBmom]

Kids in Canada require a booster up to the age of 8. What is the law in Florida and what is most common in Mexico? My 4 and 6 year olds will be cruising out of Miami with us and I'm tryingt to figure out if they really need their carseats.

 

I think we'll take the Carnival shuttle from FLL to POM.

 

Then we'll be taking a taxi most likely in Cozumel.

 

Not sure what we'll do in Key West if anything.

 

Please offer advice/comments.

[mom2isabella05cole08]

In FL, the carseat laws are pretty lax. DD4 is still in a 5-point harness seat because she hasn't hit the weight limit for the seat yet (her seat has a max weight of 40lbs)

 

Florida Highway Patrol's website is http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/CPS/

[6rugrats]

In FL, the carseat laws are pretty lax.

What? The child restraint laws in every state in the US are not lax, including Florida. They are pretty strict. People may be lax in following them, but the law is pretty clear:

 

 

 

316.613 Child restraint requirements.-- (1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

[AandBmom]

What? The child restraint laws in every state in the US are not lax, including Florida. They are pretty strict. People may be lax in following them, but the law is pretty clear:

 

 

 

316.613 Child restraint requirements.-- (1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

 

 

Thanks for your reply. Can you help me interpret this one? Am I reading it correct that my 4 and 6 year old children can legally go with just a seatbelt, no booster seat?

 

Our law here in Ontario is written so much clearer.

[mjkacmom]

What? The child restraint laws in every state in the US are not lax, including Florida. They are pretty strict. People may be lax in following them, but the law is pretty clear:

 

 

 

316.613 Child restraint requirements.-- (1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

 

Well, as someone who lives in an 8/80 state, Florida's law seems very lax. Heck, dd13 got out of her booster when she was 10!

[CeleBrat]

Thanks for your reply. Can you help me interpret this one? Am I reading it correct that my 4 and 6 year old children can legally go with just a seatbelt, no booster seat?

 

Our law here in Ontario is written so much clearer.

 

Nooooo! You don't want to let your 4 year old wear "just" a seatbelt. It won't fit her/him correctly. Thus the reason for the car seat/booster. A normal seatbelt won't fit properly across his/her lap, and will probably fall across thier neck due to their short stature. So, if (heaven forbid) you crash, you run the risk of breaking their necks due to the seatbelt.

 

Don't do it!

 

CeleBrat

[lunasol]

We live in FL, my daughter is almost 7 and weighs 65lbs and is still in a booster seat. I have lots of friends who follow the law and at 5 have let their kids ride without the booster. I personally will not be letting her ride without the booster seat until she is tall enough to sit with the seat belt properly buckled across her chest. I would rather deal with taking the booster seat with us then risk my daughter's life in an accident.

[In2why]

What? The child restraint laws in every state in the US are not lax, including Florida. They are pretty strict. People may be lax in following them, but the law is pretty clear:

 

 

 

316.613 Child restraint requirements.-- (1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

 

 

Seems lax to me since here in VA they have to be 8 y/o or 80lbs.

 

I am also worried about port excursions. We will have car seats in FL since we are driving to port, but in our group there are 3 kids in Car seats. Do Taxi's/Vans in ports even have the harnesses for car seats?

[ericrz]

Seems lax to me since here in VA they have to be 8 y/o or 80lbs.

 

I am also worried about port excursions. We will have car seats in FL since we are driving to port, but in our group there are 3 kids in Car seats. Do Taxi's/Vans in ports even have the harnesses for car seats?

 

No guarantees. This is a very tricky question when traveling with small kids, and one that is often asked on these boards.

 

Every parent has to do what he/she feels comfortable with. We've decided to minimize the car trips for our 4yo daughter on our cruise next month. We will take a short taxi ride to/from Chankanaab park in Cozumel, and that's it. She won't be riding in any other motor vehicles.

 

We actually decided to skip an excursion to the Belize Zoo because of the length of the necessary drive, and the fact that it was described as being along a "winding, mountainous road."

 

It's a compromise that I'm not 100% thrilled with; ideally, she wouldn't be riding in ANY cars without a car seat. But I also know it's not realistic to drag our car seat with us to Chankanaab. (Even though it will be on the ship with us, as we'll need it in Tampa and have nothing else to do with it.)