[dawno]

hello-my 35 lb 4 y.o is in a booster seat. we are both in a wedding and they want us to ride in the limo. does anyone know if limos have shoulder seat belts? are kids required to be in a booster seat in a limo just like any other car/taxi? any ifo would be greatly appreciated!
thanks.

 

[mamatoady]

don't know. i'd call the state police, they'll tell you

 

[Kabes]

I've only ever been in two limos. One privately owned and the other was corporate. they both had seat belts. As a former paramedic, I would say "Take his booster. Even if you completely trust the limo driver you never know what other drivers will do. He will be safer in his seat - regardless of what the state requires in this situation." As a mother who will be in a wedding in Dec. w/ my two girls (they will be 2 & 4 at the time), "I don't know how I will possibly manage the girls in their dresses, me in my dress, our bouquets, and car seats!!" We will probably pass on the limo. Especially since I will have a 3 month old too!! Safety always comes first, even though we will miss the fun in the limo.

 

[tboroson]

Call the mother of the bride (called MOB on wedding forums, but that sounds too Mafia for me

) Ask for contact info for the limo service. Call them, ask if they have shoulder belts and if so, can you drop a booster seat off with them ahead of time? Or at least have it hidden in a vestibule at the entrance to the church, and have one of the ushers secret it out to them when they first arrive so they can put it in place. Or, if the bride and bridal party are arriving by limo and the limos will stay put for the length of the ceremony, it should be easy to get the seat to the driver(s) to have them place it for you. That way you won't have to worry about juggling the seat and getting it into place while everyone is trying to exit the church gracefully and get into the cars with their dresses and excited kids and everyone throwing birdseed and so on.

If all else fails, can you arrange for someone else who is attending the wedding but not riding in the limo to be in charge of transporting your kiddo? That way you both don't have to bail out on the limo thing.

 

[MinnieMouse]

At 35lbs you should (unless your child is extremely tall) be able to fit him/her into a harnessed car seat (almost all forward facing ones go up to 40lbs) if there are only lap belts available in the Limo.

I definitely would call the Limo company and ask what to expect.

Maybe you could borrow a harnessed booster seat for the day?? One that harnesses to 40lbs and then you use as a belt positioning booster. That way if there is a lap/shoulder belt available you can use the seat as a booster, otherwise you can install it with the lap belt and use the harness.

FIY...you MUST always use harnessed and booster seats on FORWARD facing seats in vehicles (ie..can't install them with the back to the driver).

HTH

Christine
CPST and mommy to Bethany