Car Booster Seats in USA

Nick1984_2

Hello,

Im going to orlando in march with our two children 2 and 4. was wondering if anyone knows if we can take our own car / booster seats or do we have to pay the £75 each from the retal company?

Thanks

Nick

lola34

the first time we went (2006) we hired a seat for DS2 who was 3 at the time, we were told that booster seats as we have them are illegal in USA- but I would double check- and were given the full car seat type however I did see a lot of people who had took them with them, and last year when he was 4 we were told he didn't need them even though when sat in the car he couldn't see a thing out of the windows he was that small :undecided - double check with the car hire/ travel company about the policy re types of car seat and ages, I would just take your own if they are light enough.

sturll

Take your own. But be aware that the laws are far less strict than here. That is because usually in US cars the seatbelt can be adjusted and lowered so means the use of a car seat is not needed. That said my 7 year old in the US would not be hired a booster seat - my 4 year old would.

Additionally most decent airlines will fly a car seat/booster seat for free and in addition to your baggage allowance.

evilwitch

Take your own; you know the history and the correct fitting of it whereas one you hire may have been in an accident and the fitting is all new and you may not fit it correctly. It is also far cheaper.

We flew to Orlando with Virgin last month with 2 children (2 and 12wks), took 2 pushchairs and 2 car seats free and in addition to the baggage allowance.

An alternative you could consider if you have courtesy transport from airport and are collecting hire car later is to get whoever is collecting the hire car to go via WalMart and buy a couple of cheap car seats on the way back. You wouldn't have the hassle of taking yours with you and could leave the new one behind when you come home if you didn't want it and it was cheap enough. However, having taken our own once I wouldn't hesitate in taking the again.

Murphy_The_Cat

evilwitch wrote: »

An alternative you could consider if you have courtesy transport from airport and are collecting hire car later is to get whoever is collecting the hire car to go via WalMart and buy a couple of cheap car seats on the way back. You wouldn't have the hassle of taking yours with you and could leave the new one behind when you come home if you didn't want it and it was cheap enough. However, having taken our own once I wouldn't hesitate in taking the again.

I'm going to suggest going half and half and half again !!
Take your existing car seat on the plane with you for the 2 year old and let them fly with it and then either do what evilwitch suggests above, or pack the booster seat in your luggage and then put it into your hirecar when you get it (the airline won't let you use the booster seat inflight).**
If you are going to take the Walmart option, don't forget to do a Mapquest beforehand for a store location.
Personally, I'd be tempted to pack the booster seat and leave it in the car when you drop it off -- unless you have lots of luggage space for your return journey.



** I'm assuming that you have paid for a seat for your 2 yearold.

Nick1984_2

Thanks for your replys guys and girls.

we are going to pick the car at the airport, so will pack a booster seat for the 4yr old and take a car seat for the 2yr old.

Thanks again

Nick

markelock

I thought the law in FL said a child aged up to 5 had a car seat, not a booster? over 6 and of course they can drive, carry guns, but not drink alcohol.

check the disneyland thread, a user kindly posted the specific statute link. Clear as mud.

[SIZE=-1]316.613 Child restraint requirements.-- [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1](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. [/SIZE]