Alright, revelation time: Under the Road Traffic Act, it is illegal for Uber and Grab private hire cars to ferry passengers under 135cm without a child seat.

This little-known rule was first reported by The New Paper on Jan. 26.

The Traffic Road Act states that taxis are exempted from this rule because they are public service vehicles.

The difference is that taxis ply the roads for passengers and are not hired under a contract so it would not be reasonable for taxis to carry child or boosters seats.

However, any passenger below 135cm must be seated in the rear of the taxi.

Offenders can face a composition fine of S$120 and three demerit points. If charged in court, they can be fined up to S$1,000 or jailed up to three months.

This means that Uber and Grab private hire cars can reject passengers with children without car seats.

The rule could change moving forward as the line between private hire vehicles and taxis blurs even more.

Solutions

Grab has a GrabFamily service for passengers with children below 135cm. The GrabFamily service costs about S$2 more than a GrabCar.

These are GrabCars equipped with booster seats for children between four and seven years old.

GrabFamily drivers can buy the booster seats at a discounted rate.

Passengers travelling with children are also advised to book for regular taxis via GrabTaxi, which are exempted from the rule.

Top photo via Grab Facebook

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