Are car seats required for children in Trinidad?
 

I will be travelling to Trinidad in July with my 12 month old son. Will be required to be in a car seat?

I have no idea but I hope you as a responsible parent will hire/take one any way.

Would you drive around your home town with a child on your knee? Why do it in a country that I'm assuming that since you don't know the answer to your question is an island you've never visited?

Put him in a car seat and hug him every time you fasten him in - cut costs in other ways. He IS priceless.

It's possible that ashnal was asking whether a car seat would be required during airplane travel. Having been to Trinidad, I would doubt that laws require car seats for infants in automobiles.

isle - I an willing to admit that I could have read the question wrongly, there wasn't much too work with and I went with my gut reaction.

I think a 12 month old should have his own car seat on the airplane and especially in a rental car when you have no idea about it's maintenance.

The subject line of ashnal's post clearly asks if car seats are required in Trinidad not if one is required on the airplane. Like most Caribbean islands it is doubtful that Trinidad has any laws requiring car seat.

Alya's comments are on point. How could any responsible parent travel without a car seat for their 12 month old child even if it were not required by law? Presumably they wouldn't do it "back home" not because there's a law but rather because they want to best protect their child from harm. So what makes then think it's OK in a foreign country. There are two major issues for ashnal to consider: 1) Her/His child won't be protected in the airplane which is travelling at speeds in excess of 375mph - if the plane hits turbulance a child held on ine's lap can become a projectile and 2) When they reach their destination he/she will be transporting the child in a moving vehicle along narrow twisty roads at speeds between 25 and 50 mph - far to fast to gurantee the child's safety.

Do as alya suggests, don't carry your child on your lap, purchase a seat in the plane for the child, bring your car seat and have peace of mind.

it is a law as of 2010.
read here: http://www.ttparliament.org/legislations/a2010-05.pdf

43D. (1) The driver of a motor vehicle referred to in section 43A(1) shall—

(a) not, without reasonable excuse, drive his vehicle while there is in the front
seat of the vehicle a child of five years of age and under; and
(b) ensure that a child—
(i) under six months of age, be restrained in a properly fastened
and adjusted, reaward facing child restraint;
(ii) over six months and under four years of age, be restrained
in a properly fastened and adjusted, rearward facing child restraint
or a forward facing child restraint that has an in-built harness; and
(iii) over four years and under five years of age, be restrained in a p r o p e r l y adjusted, forward facing child restraint that has an in- built harness or an approved booster seat that i s p r o p e r l y positioned and fastened.