USA Rules for Car Seats (I'm from Australia)

[Hot Chilli]

Hi,

We are spending a few days in Hawaii after our cruise and want to hire a car.

What are the rules regarding car seats (age of children, what type of seat they need etc...) in the USA.

I have been onto the AVIS website and they give 3 options:-

* Infant Seat

* Safety Seat

* Booster Seat

I have a 12 month old (forward facing) and almost 4 year old.

Which seats do I need to book?

Thanks :)

[youngestof9]

Booster seat for your 4 year old.

 

Not sure what a safety seat is? I think your 12 month old should be in a 5 point harness-type car seat. Do they give model names as an example of what a safety seat vs. infant seat?

 

This may help

 

http://www.avis.com/car-rental/content/display.ac?contentId=safety-basics-US_en-001314

[goldne]

I would get a 5 point harness seat for both children. Definitely NOT a booster for an almost 4-year old...even if the law allows it it's just not the safest option. A lot of people put their kids in booster seats too early.

 

I would use your own carseat on the airplane for the 12 month old, then you will already have one seat with you and you will only need to rent one for your 4 year old.

[Hot Chilli]

I'm thinking maybe Infant Seat means rear facing and Safety Seat means forward facing (5 point harness). Unfortunately they don't advise what model car seats.

 

We are sailing from Australia to Hawaii so won't be taking a car seat for the little one. Plus our Airline on the one way flight back won't let us purchase a separate seat (ie. baby must travel as a lap passenger only).

[Scrapchick]

I would call and ask if that's possible... I recommend 5 pt harness seats for both the kids... Hawaii law does require they both be restrained. Often these seats have weight restrictions so it isn't just the age of the child, but also their size.... My DD was a very large baby and outgrew seats faster than a smaller baby would.

 

I would imagine if you request a baby car seat it will automatically be a 5 pt harness, so I would take the older child's seat and request a seat based on the baby's age AND weight, but insist on confirmation in writing.... Too many people make reservations for car seats and get there and find supply has run out and off they have to go to Babies R Us to buy a new seat... I have also seen the grubbiest, dirtiest car seats sitting at car rental agencies, the kind I would never put my child in!

 

Good luck!

[boulders]

I would just bring your own car seats. They can be checked at the gate or in your regular luggage for no additional charge. Your cabin steward may also be able to find extra room to store them.

 

Which island in Hawaii are you planning on staying on? The need for a rental car varies greatly between islands. The availability of cars can be dicey at times too -it's probably even worse for car seats.

[beachchick]

I would just bring your own car seats. They can be checked at the gate or in your regular luggage for no additional charge. Your cabin steward may also be able to find extra room to store them.

 

Which island in Hawaii are you planning on staying on? The need for a rental car varies greatly between islands. The availability of cars can be dicey at times too -it's probably even worse for car seats.

 

Yes, rental cars often sell out (get reserved) well in advance, especially the popular sizes. But it's not usually difficult to reserve them with car seats, even at the smaller airports/locations. Because Hawaii laws are strict and tourism is a huge industry, the rental companies generally have a good supply of car safety devices. Still, everything should be reserved asap to make sure you get what you want.

 

I would agree that 5-point is probably best for your 4-y/o, but it's a judgment call on your part. You should check Hawaii laws regarding age and weight/height for the shift from full seat to booster. I don't know what it is, but that may decide things for you.

 

Obviously, 5-point for your 1-y/o. That would be the safety seat option. I am not 100% sure, but I think that infant seat would be for rear-facing, younger than 12 months.

 

beachchick

[Mom2B&Z]

If you can give us the height and weight of each child this will greatly help with seat suggestions. As previous posters have said, the appropriateness of a seat depends on these two variables much more than a child's age.

It is completely possible to travel with your own seats. I prefer it, as I know I can install them much more easily (and correctly!) than a seat I don't know well. We store them on the floor of the closet, so they are out of the way for the trip. We have a car seat and a booster, but we make it work.

Rental company seats often do not have an instruction manual attached, so you're taking a big gamble as you don't know if you've actually installed it properly. Some seats have "quirks" (like the radian cannot be installed with a pool noodle) that you may not know about. Basic guidelines for NA car seat use is 1 yr or 22 lbs can be forward facing, but many seats allow rear facing up to 35-40 lbs.

If you decide not to bring your own seats, I would call the rental company and find out what seats they use, then print out a manual online. You may not be able to check the seat out before you go (I'm from Canada and we only have a fraction of the seats available in the US!) but at least you will have read the instructions.

Good luck!

 

Hi,

We are spending a few days in Hawaii after our cruise and want to hire a car.

What are the rules regarding car seats (age of children, what type of seat they need etc...) in the USA.

I have been onto the AVIS website and they give 3 options:-

* Infant Seat

* Safety Seat

* Booster Seat

I have a 12 month old (forward facing) and almost 4 year old.

Which seats do I need to book?

Thanks :)

[LSP2005]

I would do a 5 point harness style car seat for both children. Make sure to reserve them in advance. I agree with the other posters who said to bring one or both of your seats on the flight. My son is 3 1/2 and still in a 5 point harness Britax. I would not put him in a booster seat yet. None of his friends are in booster seats yet either.

[youngestof9]

I would do a 5 point harness style car seat for both children. Make sure to reserve them in advance. I agree with the other posters who said to bring one or both of your seats on the flight. My son is 3 1/2 and still in a 5 point harness Britax. I would not put him in a booster seat yet. None of his friends are in booster seats yet either.

 

Basically 4 year olds are in boosters, but it really depends on age AND weight. My 5 year old is still in her Britax 5 point since she's a peanut! I wish they would up the age on boosters since people tend to move their kids too early :)

[6rugrats]

Plus our Airline on the one way flight back won't let us purchase a separate seat (ie. baby must travel as a lap passenger only).

I am curious; what airline won't let you purchase a seat for your baby?

[Seraphine]

I would just bring your own car seats. They can be checked at the gate or in your regular luggage for no additional charge. Your cabin steward may also be able to find extra room to store them.

 

Which island in Hawaii are you planning on staying on? The need for a rental car varies greatly between islands. The availability of cars can be dicey at times too -it's probably even worse for car seats.

 

 

This isn't always automatic anymore. The last few flights I took let me have a stroller OR a carseat for free, and I'd have to pay for the other item. Do check your airline first, just to be sure.

 

(I ended up checking the carseat in a carseat bag as my daughter's luggage allowance, and putting her clothes in with my son's luggage, but when my son was little we used to take the stroller and the carseat for free)

[Hot Chilli]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I decided to try other companies and Hertz had a much more user friendly website. So I've ordered 2 x 5 point harness seats for my kids.

 

Our carseats in Australia need a fixed tether hook point to be able to use them. No way I could take the chance the rental would have the hook cause the seats are pretty much useless without it.

 

The airline we are flying is Jetstar (budget off shoot of Qantas). Not much choice with airlines between Honolulu & Sydney!

[Rancher Dave]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I decided to try other companies and Hertz had a much more user friendly website. So I've ordered 2 x 5 point harness seats for my kids.

 

Our carseats in Australia need a fixed tether hook point to be able to use them. No way I could take the chance the rental would have the hook cause the seats are pretty much useless without it.

 

The airline we are flying is Jetstar (budget off shoot of Qantas). Not much choice with airlines between Honolulu & Sydney!

 

Most new cars have the harnes hook point. If you know what car you are renting, if you picked a specific vehicle you can look it up on the manufacture web site. DD always had her own car seat or a travel car seat with her. The travel car seat was more or less like a flat board with the shoulder harness and you buckle the vehicle seat belt thru it and around the child for a 4 point restraing....maybe it had a fifth point between the legs...it's been several years.

 

Funny story her booster seat when she was bigger, visited ACT and arrived Melbourne the next morning in time for our flight back home. We visited all over OZ on that trip...and flew in from Brisbane or Adelade for an overnight before flying on the next morning...we were really worried because had it not turned up the ride home from the airport would have been a problem...Qantas actually said they would give us a replacement if the wayward seat didn't turn up. They were even going to find a loaner for that night but we only walked over to the Hilton at the airport.

 

Personally if you can bring your own seats have them work in the vehicle, taxi, bus, whatever...or even on the airplane if you can get the extra seats...

 

Regardless enjoy your cruise!!!

[Mom2B&Z]

If the seat is designed to have a car seat installed. Just becareful, some vans have seat positions that are not designed to hold car seats, and thus do not have top tethers. You are absolutely right that the seats are not as effective without the top tethers. We often see people trying to install child restrains in these seats, unaware of this quirk. If you know the type of vehicle and car seats you will be getting I can try and help you avoid any pitfalls before you get here :)

 

Thank you everyone for your responses. I decided to try other companies and Hertz had a much more user friendly website. So I've ordered 2 x 5 point harness seats for my kids.

 

Our carseats in Australia need a fixed tether hook point to be able to use them. No way I could take the chance the rental would have the hook cause the seats are pretty much useless without it.

 

The airline we are flying is Jetstar (budget off shoot of Qantas). Not much choice with airlines between Honolulu & Sydney!

[SusieV]

The safest option is NOT to forward face your 1 year old. Have you read about extended rearfacing? There are YouTube videos and loads of research that demonstrate what can happen to children who forward face too young. There is talk of legislation to change the current minimum from 20lbs and 12 months to 2 years old. My son is 17 months and he rearfaces.

[Mom2B&Z]

But the OP is talking about the US and you are talking about Canadian laws. There are significant differences between the two countries. For what it's worth, the new Canadian legislation is not considering a 2 yr age minimum, it's 18 months and more importantly walking independently without support. My source is the person who investigates collisions involving children at Transport Canada, who is also actively involved in the car seat group with which I volunteer as a car seat tech (I'm SJA certified).

While what you're saying is true (and we personally had our kids rearfacing as long as possible), it is not the law. In this particular person's case, I'd rather she use seats she knows how to install and use correctly to the minimum standards than discussing how she can be meeting best practice guidelines.

 

The safest option is NOT to forward face your 1 year old. Have you read about extended rearfacing? There are YouTube videos and loads of research that demonstrate what can happen to children who forward face too young. There is talk of legislation to change the current minimum from 20lbs and 12 months to 2 years old. My son is 17 months and he rearfaces.