Is Putting a Child in an Uber Without a Car Seat a Crime?

Ride sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, are becoming increasingly popular. They are easy, convenient and you really don’t have to think about much. Unless, you are travelling with a small child. Those travelling with small children, now have to think hard about whether to accept a ride from a driver whose vehicle does not have an appropriate car seat. Recently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to accept a case which addresses this very issue. There is no question that a parent can be charged with child endangering for leaving a young child alone at home, even if there is no harm to a child. The reasoning is that such behavior creates the potential risk of harm to the child. Using this same reasoning, driving your own car, with a young child, who is not in a car seat, can also trigger a child endangering charge. So it is not a huge stretch of the imagination to predict that accepting an Uber ride from a driver without a car seat, could result in a child endangering charge. Perhaps the safest course of action is to contact the driver beforehand to confirm that they have a safe car seat. Or better (and cleaner) yet, just bring your own along. It may seem like a hassle – but it could save you a lot of grief later on down the line.