Car seats in PV?
 

We're going to PV in February with our 6 month old son. Will the shuttles at the airport have a carseat for us to use for the trip to/from the hotel? We're staying at The Westin Resort & Spa - I called and they said they don't have a shuttle, but that we could find one at the airport. Also, what about if we want to go from the hotel into town - will we be able to find a taxi or shuttle with a car seat? I really don't want to rent a car or lug our car seat along, but I guess if we have to ... thoughts?

It may be better to bring your own?

I don't have kids but have spent quite a bit of time in PV and make this comment from watching the way Mexican families handle things.

Most are simply not overly "safety conscious" in the same way Americans are. I am thinking of little kids riding in a parade on the hoods of taxi cabs turned into floats w/ no visble means of support, toddlers being taught how to jump on caps and light sparklers, etc. etc.

Hopefully someone else will have a real answer for you from personal experience traveling with a toddler in PV since mine is only an impression.

What are you doing on the airplane?

Hate to tell you but not only impossible to find a cab/van with a car seat it's very difficult to get a cab with working seat belts in the back seats. They do some what enforce that cab driver wearing seat belts. Also air bags are not standard on Mexican manufactured cars, if fact no car made in Mexico can be plated in the US. So bring a car seat but even that will not assure you can use it.

Unless someone comes up with a specific recommendation for a driver/car service that has vehicles equipped with car seats, you should plan on bringing your own. While there is some usage of car seats for children, it's mostly like when I was a kid - babies are carried on Mom's lap and toddlers bounce around on the back seat. Britney Spears' recent actions would not raise an eyebrow in Mexico.

Stewbear us right about the rear seatbelts, the cabbies like to stuff them under the seats so that you cannot use them. When the hotel calls a cab for you, make sure they get you one with working rear seatbelts. When you are out on your own, or at the airport, you may need to try a number of cabs before you find one that is suitable.

And a minor point, but I want to clarify. It's not that vehicles MADE in Mexico do not meet US standards. It's that Mexican law does not require airbags on vehicles SOLD in Mexico. So some vehicles sold in Mexico have them and some don't, regardless of where the vehicle was made. Conversely, many vehicles made in Mexico fully meet US and other countries' standards. Not that any of this matters for a traveler, except that when renting a vehicle in Mexico (and many other countries) you should always ask if the vehicle includes airbags if that matters to you...you can't assume that it will have airbags, even if the vehicle is the same type as one that does in the US.

i think you need to bring the carseat :-)

Just got back from P.V. definitely need to bring your own car seat Can't recall hardly ever seeing one. Can't imagine where you would be able to get one. Play it safe just bring it. It will save you a lot of aggravation

Definately bring one. Insist that the cab have seatbelts in the back we brought a portable one last summer some cabbies annoyed while we installed but oh well, they lightened up during the ride while I charmed them :). This year we stay closer to town, ie no cabs.

uggg... that was SOOOO not the answer I wanted!! Anyone know of a taxi/shuttle company in PV that I could call in advance to see if I could arrange for them to have a car seat for us?? - I don't mind paying extra, I just REALLY don't want to have to lug ours there!!

As lovesprada mentioned, the Mexican way to carry the kids around is babies in Momma's lap and everyone else piled in wherever they'll fit. I have been on all kinds of taxis, shuttles, buses, private vans and suburbans, private cars and tour buses in PV and never have I ever seen a car seat. And I've only seen a few seatbelts that were actually accessible for anyone but the driver.

If you want one, you're best to bring your own, no matter how inconvenient for travel. And as mentioned, be prepared for the chance of an impatient taxi driver, while you attempt to secure your own seat in the back of the veh. Most taxis are Nissan Sentras or like size, so there's not much room for extra equipment.

Really think you need to bring your own , I really do not think a shuttle service would have one ....? Just bring it , I used to travel with two seats at one time ( infant rear facing , and the larger front facing ) . They put them in plastic bags , tag them , and they simply go with the luggage . And " voila " , problem solved .

Sorry to add to this again you definitely need to bring the car seat, Like I said before I never ever saw one in 17yrs that I have been going there. I can't imagine worrying about it. Even if you decide to stay put for your vacatio how would you get to the hotel from the airport, it really isn't worth the aggravation.

It may not be the answer you wanted, but it IS the answer ;-) As you'll notice the replies are 100% in agreement. You are getting information from people who have collectively spent a LOT of time in Puerto Vallarta.

Maybe ask your hotel if they can recommend a taxi/shuttle service to contact?

ok, ok, ok... you've all convinced me (much to my husband's dismay, as he's the one who does the actual lugging of the car seat!) We're brining the car seat. We booked an airport transfer through Vallarta Transfer (they claim to have nice, air-conditioned vans WITH seat belts.) Thanks to everyone!

We went to Playa Del Carmen, MX with our toddler last summer.... and we brought our own car seat for her.

Not only did that keep her safer on the plane (lap babies turn into human missiles during sudden turbulence)... but it also kept her safer traveling in Mexico. No, there aren't car seat laws... but who cares, common sense says to restrain small children. The laws of physics don't change just because you're in a new country with no car seat laws.

We knew beforehand how crazy the driving is there too... so it was definitely reassuring to have our toddler properly restrained (she also napped better in her OWN car seat).

Just my 2 cents and some reassurance for your hubby so he understands that lugging the damn thing is definitely WORTHWHILE. I had to have the SAME talk with my Dh.

BTW, please don't rent one... you never know what you're going to get.

Share the lugging !!! It's possible . Did it numerous times alone , 2 seats , 2 kids under 2.5 years ! You'll see , not a big deal at all .....

So Glad you are bringing the car seat So Have a Great Vacation and tell us all about it when you get back Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy

Well gee, maybe I should jump in here and make sure you realize that it's a real challenge to find/use car seats and even sometimes seat belts in Mexico! Not sure if it's clear, yet! :-) :-) :-)

Been living here 5-6 years now and have 2 young ones and let me tell you, they're all on the mark. Nobody has car seats or other such things (bike helmets, for example) except ex-pats residing here, and in many cases they'll tell you they brought them with them. And it's definitely a Mexican pastime to bury those seat belts, ba-by! Although that might s l o w l y change as some new seat belt laws (ever enforced?) have come around. Another pasttime is loading up any variety of vehicle with as many humans as, well, humanly possible.

That said, our guests have in fact been able to use car seats to and from the airport with the transfer service we recommend (this is between Cancun and PLaya del Carmen), especially if they give us and we give the service advance notice. But really the only way to get around this is to

(1) bring your own car seat, and
(2) rent your own car, making sure before you accept it that it has seat belts properly present and usable before

That's a lot easier anyway because then you just fix the seat in there at the start of the trip and never have to do it again until you remove it at the end.

Best of luck. Kid safety, or what is viewed as kid safety at least in the area of transportation from a North American perspective, is really not in evidence here.

Steve

I'm back from PV and GUESS WHAT?? We didn't bring our car seat for our baby because we found a car service that had a car seat!!! The Westin set it up for us and it was great - the service was called "TEA" (I don't know what that stands for) - they were right ourside the luggage claim area with our name on a little sign. They took our luggage for us outside to a brand new Suburban SUV with a newish-style car seat already installed. It was GREAT! It cost $9/pp for the very short trip from the airport to the hotel, but well worth it. We also hired them to take us to/from the down town area and then again to take us back to the airport. So........ if anyone needs a car seat in PV get your hotel to set this up for you!!

Children are generally slung in the

luggage rack with the chickens or

strapped to the roof. Your son will

thank you.