Only on 6: Who is responsible for car seats in rideshare vehicles?

By Jordan Mazza

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Ernie Patalano drives for Uber and Lyft, and he’s encountering an issue: confusion about what to do when a potential passenger needs a car seat.

He says other rideshare drivers are commiserating on social media.

“I see them share the same story,” said Patalano, of West Warwick. “They vent about it – ‘another parent with no car seat.'”

Some passengers believe the car seat should be the driver’s responsibility.

“Taxis, Ubers, Lyfts – doesn’t matter,” said Roger Hilton of Warwick. “They should provide it. Because if they’re going to provide the ride, they should provide safety for everybody that’s in the car.”

But rideshare drivers say it’s not practical to keep a car seat on hand — and especially not a selection of car seats for children of different sizes.

“We still have to have room for luggage,” Patalano said. “Parents that have small children, please bring a car seat. No matter what the situation is. Just for the safety of your child.”

Child safety expert Dr. Dina Burstein of the Rhode Island Hospital Injury Prevention Center says the driver is technically liable — meaning if pulled over, the driver would be the one to get the ticket.

“Taxi cabs and rideshare vehicles have to follow the same passenger safety laws that you and I do in our personal vehicles,” Dr. Burstein said.

But she says parents shouldn’t expect rideshare drivers to have the right car seat, and ultimately, it’s your precious cargo.

“If it’s not okay to travel with your young child unrestrained in your personal vehicle, it’s not okay to travel with them unrestrained in a Lyft or an Uber, or a taxicab,” Dr. Burstein said. “The crash isn’t going to know the difference.”

Uber and Lyft do have a car seat option, but it’s available only in New York City and a handful of other major cities.

So for now, the best way to ensure your child’s safety is to bring your own car seat.

©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2019