It’d 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 possibly can even have them in your lap with no belt in any respect. 

• In most components of Australia, it’s authorized for a one-year-old to journey in a taxi with no little one seat 
• Some states additionally enable occupants 16-years or over to carry a baby 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 rules based mostly on every of the completely different state and territory legal guidelines.

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

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

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

It have to be burdened that this ought to be seen as a final resort, emergency back-up plan solely.  Taxis aren’t legally required to hold a baby seat or booster seat, however most taxi firms can have a automobile that has such a seat fitted, accessible to guide. 

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: In response to Business Passenger Automobiles Victoria, there are two particular varieties of autos that should be thought-about when taking a look at child-seat legal guidelines – booked autos, that means rent vehicles and ride-share vehicles, and unbooked autos – taxis.

“Unbooked autos (taxis providing rank and hail providers) aren’t required to hold little one restraints reminiscent of capsules, little one seats or booster seats.

“If potential, it’s advisable that you just take your little one’s restraint or booster seat with you.  Unbooked autos should have at the very least one level the place the straps of a kid restraint or booster seat may be securely connected.

“Below the Highway Security Highway Guidelines 2017 (the principles), infants beneath 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 mounted seat belt if no appropriate little one restraint or booster seat is accessible (however not sitting on somebody’s lap).

“Booked autos (rent vehicles/rideshares) – the principles overlaying youngsters travelling in booked autos reminiscent of rent vehicles and rideshares differ to taxis. They’re the identical as personal vehicles.

“Because of this youngsters as much as seven-years of age have to be secured in a restraint acceptable to the age and measurement of the kid.

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

Queensland: In response to the Queensland authorities’s transport bureau, the legal guidelines within the Sunshine State enable for some leniency in the case of youngsters using in shared transport, together with the allowance for holding a baby in your lap.

“Little one restraints aren’t required on buses [13 seats or more], trains or personalised transport providers reminiscent of taxi, limousine and ride-booking providers. Though little one restraints aren’t required in personalised transport providers, in case you give sufficient discover you might be able to pre-book these providers with a baby restraint. Alternatively you need to use your personal little one restraint. If a baby restraint is within the automobile, the driving force is answerable for guaranteeing the kid is correctly restrained.

“Youngsters lower than one-year-old may be held on the lap of somebody 16 years or older. Youngsters greater than one-year-old and fewer than seven-years-old may 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 folks use their very own the place potential.

In response to MyLicence SA, if there is no such thing as a appropriate permitted little one restraint accessible, a taxi driver should guarantee:

• All youngsters beneath seven years are seated within the rear row in a automobile that has two or extra rows of seats – no exceptions.
• Youngsters aged beneath one-year could 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 mounted to the perfect extent potential given the passenger’s measurement; and
• Youngsters aged from seven years as much as 16 years are sporting a seatbelt.

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

“There isn’t any requirement for kids aged between one- and seven-years to be secured in a baby automobile restraint whereas travelling in taxis or rideshare autos, nonetheless the suitable restraint is the most secure choice. 

“A toddler aged lower than one-year may 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 will probably be answerable for guaranteeing a baby aged 1 yr to lower than 16

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

the kid, if there is no such thing as a accessible little one restraint. Dad and mom 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 principles 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 youngsters beneath seven-years of age the place an appropriate little one restraint or booster seat just isn’t accessible. A toddler beneath seven-years of age should not be carried within the entrance seat of a taxi.

“Taxis have to be fitted with at the very least one little one restraint anchorage level in order that an individual could present a baby restraint or booster seat for set up within the taxi.

“Most ACT taxis carry a baby security harness (H-harness) which can be utilized with no booster seat.”

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

• An permitted little one restraint is used if accessible
• No passenger beneath four-years of age sits within the entrance seat
• A toddler between four-years and seven-years of age could 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 beneath seven-years outdated
• All taxis ought to have an anchorage level that can be utilized to suit a baby restraint; nonetheless, not all taxis can have a baby restraint so it’s possible you’ll want to supply your personal
• Though an exemption will probably 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 meant as authorized recommendation. Test with the related roads authority in your state or territory.