PEOPLE WHO DON'T DRIVE/HAVE CAR - emergencies, what do you do/which car seas? (car seats)

[pregnantncnc]

(sorry couldn't find a logical place to post this)

Not a 999 emergency (obviously), but a "need to take child to hospital with broken arm" or "rush back to help unwell family" type emergency, where taking the bus/train would be difficult. Obviously a taxi would be needed.

We do have a small car (VW UP!) which DH can drive (I can't currently due to medication) but he is not always here due to work (often hours away or abroad). So we will need a car seat that both fits in the back of our tiny car, is ideally rear facing for an extended time, but also suitable for use in taxis (so probably not ISOFIX?). Does it exist? Also, if taking a child to the hospital, I'd then have to lug a huge car seat in/around as well as an unwell child, wouldn't I? Argh! I so wish I could drive. What do other people do? Please tell me I'm overthinking this.

My mum lives 45m away and is retired (but young) so could in theory drive to pick us up then on to the hospital/wherever we need to go, but I'd prefer not to be so reliant on my mother!

You don’t actually need a car seat for a taxi, but if you do want one, then any one that is attached with a seat belt is fine

I would avoid isofix because you can’t guarantee the taxi will suitable

How old is your child?

In the nicest way possible, yes, you are overthinking.

In an emergency getting to hospital trumps car seats and taxis are exempt.

Also, you can go an entire childhood and never see a hospital, so it’s a situation which may never arise.

As other have said taxis are exempt

You don't need a car seat in a taxi but depending on the age of your child could you get a cheap booster seat that you can keep in a cupboard just in case?

We had this dilemma once DC1 grew out of his baby seat. We didn’t have our own car at the time.

I’d focus on finding a belted seat that works for your car and take it from there. Because that will also work in a taxi. We had a Joie Stages which we’re now using in high back booster mode - it goes up to 25kg. It is bloody massive (as in too heavy to carry if wrangling child and seat) but it is belted and suitable for extended rear facing.

Bike or taxi - in our city bike can be quicker and indeed the last trip to paeds A&E was made by bike.

I can drive now but was not allowed to when I had my children.

I had a -have to take child to hospital in the middle of the night- emergency just once and that’s spread over 3dc. I called a friend who had a DH, a car, and child the same age as mine. She drove us to the hospital and my DC used her car seat. I repaid the favour, not in exactaly the same way but friends help each other out.

taxis are exempt or have sometimes inbuilt booster seats.
for dc from about 4-8 we used a trunki backpack booster.

OP - I had this exact dilemma and ended up getting this car seat ( which can be fixed by seatbelt as well - well could when I bought it). Really easy and light and I felt better having a car seat even though not required in taxis:

www.johnlewis.com/joie-baby-trillo-group-2-3-high-back-booster-car-seat-ember/p4071162

I think you are overthinking. Probably better to have information such as the local taxi firms numbers available easily and perhaps not just in your phone.

We had a baby seat that could be fixed via seatbelts.

Though when we did need a taxi to A&E - child was a toddler and two big and frankly just got in taxi and down there as quick as we could.

Taxi number and money for taxi (or these days an account set up) was more the issue. For years we kept an envelop with notes for taxi - though last time we did A&E trip it was with a teen and I had to go to the nearby cash macine first while DH rung taxi.

I'm a single parent and can't drive. I had a car seat for my mum's car when she looked after DS.

Never had to take DS to A&E and he's nearly 8 now so if I needed to he would just sit in the back of a taxi. Never really gave it much thought to be honest.

Taxi. Never had to use one, DD is 13.
Ambulance if emergency.

If I could drive, I wouldn't, if DD needed an ambulance. I would be useless with panic.

Apologies - DS is 13 months, so I would not feel comfortable not using a car seat in a taxi, even if the law allows it.

He appears to be accident prone, and we've already had to take him to A&E 3 times in his first year (required treatment each time - not just him being my PFB - and I swear to god I do supervise him!). Hopefully I won't have to take him again so this won't be a problem.

@BigGreen - bike is a good idea, unfortunately our closest hospital only sees children during the night, so if it was daytime our next closest A&E is 18 miles away which might take a bit long.

You will be able to pick up a second hand “spare” car seat, the type you just belt in, for very cheap or free on a local Facebook page.

At 13 months I’d put him on my lap in a taxi in an emergency