It would go in opposition to each fibre of your being, however in some components of Australia it’s authorized so that you can safe your 12-month-old little one in only a seatbelt whereas they’re using in a taxi. And in different jurisdictions, you may even have them in your lap with out a belt in any respect. 

• In most components of Australia, it’s authorized for a one-year-old to experience in a taxi with out a little one seat 
• Some states additionally permit occupants 16-years or over to carry a toddler of their lap
• Taxi drivers don’t should have a child-seat or booster – it might fall to the mother or father 

We’ll cowl off these arcane guidelines and laws based mostly on every of the totally different state and territory legal guidelines.

New South Wales: Transport for NSW’s street guidelines state that, whereas travelling in a taxi: 

• kids as much as the age of 6 months should use a rear-facing little one automotive seat
• kids aged between 6 and 12 months should use both a rear‑going through little one automotive seat or a forward-facing little one automotive seat with an inbuilt harness
• kids aged over 12 months should use a booster seat or put on a correctly adjusted and fixed seatbelt.

It’s good to see {that a} 366-day-old child isn’t allowed to experience shotgun, as the identical rear-seat guidelines as in regular automobiles nonetheless apply. 

It have to be harassed that this needs to be seen as a final resort, emergency back-up plan solely.  Taxis aren’t legally required to hold a toddler seat or booster seat, however most taxi corporations could have a automobile that has such a seat fitted, accessible to e-book. 

You’re allowed to suit your personal child-seat or booster when using in a taxi, and in NSW all taxis have to be fitted with an anchor-point for a kid restraint.

Victoria: Based on Industrial Passenger Automobiles Victoria, there are two particular kinds of automobiles that have to be thought of when taking a look at child-seat legal guidelines – booked automobiles, which means rent automobiles and ride-share automobiles, and unbooked automobiles – taxis.

“Unbooked automobiles (taxis providing rank and hail companies) aren’t required to hold little one restraints resembling capsules, little one seats or booster seats.

“If potential, it’s beneficial that you simply take your little one’s restraint or booster seat with you.  Unbooked automobiles should have not less than one level the place the straps of a kid restraint or booster seat will be securely hooked up.

“Underneath the Highway Security Highway Guidelines 2017 (the foundations), infants underneath 12-months outdated have to be carried within the again seat of a taxi by the mother or father or accompanying grownup.

“Youngsters aged one- to six-years of age should additionally journey within the again seat. They have to be sporting their very own correctly fixed seat belt if no appropriate little one restraint or booster seat is on the market (however not sitting on somebody’s lap).

“Booked automobiles (rent automobiles/rideshares) – the foundations protecting kids travelling in booked automobiles resembling rent automobiles and rideshares differ to taxis. They’re the identical as personal automobiles.

“Which means that kids as much as seven-years of age have to be secured in a restraint applicable to the age and dimension of the kid.

“Youngsters aged over seven-years should use both a booster seat or an grownup seat belt.”

Queensland: Based on the Queensland authorities’s transport bureau, the legal guidelines within the Sunshine State permit for some leniency in the case of kids using in shared transport, together with the allowance for holding a toddler in your lap.

“Youngster restraints should not required on buses [13 seats or more], trains or personalised transport companies resembling taxi, limousine and ride-booking companies. Though little one restraints should not required in personalised transport companies, in case you give sufficient discover you might be able to pre-book these companies with a toddler restraint. Alternatively you should use your individual little one restraint. If a toddler restraint is within the automobile, the driving force is accountable for making certain the kid is correctly restrained.

“Youngsters lower than one-year-old will be held on the lap of somebody 16 years or older. Youngsters greater than one-year-old and fewer than seven-years-old will be restrained utilizing a seat belt (however should not sit within the entrance seat if the automobile has two or extra rows of seats).”

South Australia: It isn’t a authorized requirement for taxi drivers to supply little one seats or boosters, and it’s endorsed that oldsters use their very own the place potential.

Based on MyLicence SA, if there is no such thing as a appropriate authorised little one restraint accessible, a taxi driver should guarantee:

• All kids underneath seven years are seated within the rear row in a automobile that has two or extra rows of seats – no exceptions.
• Youngsters aged underneath one-year might sit on the lap of one other passenger who’s 16 years outdated or older within the rear row, however not between the passenger and the seatbelt;
• Youngsters aged between one-year and as much as seven-years are seated in their very own seat within the rear row with a seatbelt fixed to the very best extent potential given the passenger’s dimension; and
• Youngsters aged from seven years as much as 16 years are sporting a seatbelt.

Western Australia: In WA, the street security fee states: 

“There isn’t any requirement for youngsters aged between one- and seven-years to be secured in a toddler automotive restraint whereas travelling in taxis or rideshare automobiles, nevertheless the suitable restraint is the most secure possibility. 

“A baby aged lower than one-year will be held on the lap of a mother or father or caregiver aged 16-years or over whereas travelling in a taxi or rideshare automobile however can’t share the seatbelt.”

Tasmania: The state’s transport company states:

“Taxi drivers might be accountable for making certain a toddler aged 1 12 months to lower than 16

years wears an accessible seat belt to the very best extent potential given the peak and weight of

the kid, if there is no such thing as a accessible little one restraint. Mother and father are inspired to make use of their very own restraints in taxis the place potential.”

Australian Capital Territory: Within the ACT, the wording of the foundations is analogous – this data was sourced from the FAQ about little one seats on the Entry Canberra website: 

“Taxi drivers are exempt from the kid restraint legal guidelines that apply to the carriage of kids underneath seven-years of age the place an acceptable little one restraint or booster seat isn’t accessible. A baby underneath seven-years of age should not be carried within the entrance seat of a taxi.

“Taxis have to be fitted with not less than one little one restraint anchorage level in order that an individual might present a toddler restraint or booster seat for set up within the taxi.

“Most ACT taxis carry a toddler security harness (H-harness) which can be utilized with out a booster seat.”

Northern Territory: Based on RoadSafetyNT, taxis or divers for rent don’t legally have to supply a toddler seat or booster, however they should guarantee:

• An authorised little one restraint is used if accessible
• No passenger underneath four-years of age sits within the entrance seat
• A baby between four-years and seven-years of age might solely sit within the entrance row if all the opposite seats within the row or rows behind the entrance row are occupied by passengers who’re additionally underneath seven-years outdated
• All taxis ought to have an anchorage level that can be utilized to suit a toddler restraint; nevertheless, not all taxis could have a toddler restraint so you might want to supply your individual
• Though an exemption might be offered for all industrial automobile drivers, passengers should: occupy particular person seating positions and be appropriately restrained not occupy the identical seating place as one other passenger 

Not supposed as authorized recommendation. Verify with the related roads authority in your state or territory.