Babies And Booster Seats

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday February 17, 2000

ON Friday, January 28 my daughter rang Wollongong Taxis and requested a taxi with a booster seat as she has a 15-month-old baby. The taxi arrived minus the booster seat.

The driver informed her that in taxis it was quite legal for her to have the child on her lap under her seat-belt, which she did.

On Saturday I phoned Wollongong Police Station and was informed that it was, in fact, illegal and that a child under 12 months should be in a capsule and over 12 months in an appropriate booster seat.

On Monday I made a complaint to the manager of Wollongong Taxis who tried to convince me that his taxi-driver did nothing wrong and that it was legal in taxis to do this.

Young mums beware. There is not one law for everybody else in Australia and another law for taxi drivers.

- DEBRA McGUIGGAN,

Warilla.