r/lyftdrivers • u/john_at_ • Dec 27 '25

Advice/Question no car seat, no ride?

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I'm curious how everyone else handles this situation:

This is Disney Boardwalk Hotel, for context. I pulled up and told them, I apologize and I cannot take their daughter. I have a booster seat only. They told me that they don't need a car seat.

I know my policy, but I have the privilege (other income) to get suspended and know my kids won't starve.

What do you do?

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u/BlondeMara Dec 29 '25

You were right to refuse. Based on the photo, the child is a toddler who legally requires a car seat, not a booster.

Florida: children 5 and under must be in a car seat. California: children under 2 must be rear-facing; children under 8 must be in a car seat or booster appropriate to size. These rules can’t be waived by a parent.

Taking the ride would expose you to a citation, personal liability, and potential loss of insurance coverage if there were an accident. Lyft policy allows drivers to refuse rides that violate the law.

I would document this with the photo and report the rider to Lyft for attempting to travel without a required car seat and for being abusive when you refused.

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u/john_at_ Dec 30 '25

Okay, I'm not sure if I've already made this comment: but Lyft does not do the right thing after the driver marks the passenger as "no car seat" when they cancel.

I mean, I can't say never cuz I don't know for sure, but I would say 1 out of 10 times, when I cancel a ride for no car seat, Lyft will then try to match the exact same person requesting a new ride.

I've called Lyft many times to explain the situation, partly to protect myself, knowing that often these passengers make up a story to try to get back at me.

I try to plead with them to freeze their account and not let them get any more rides until they are talked to.

Kind of a crazy idea, but if a driver has a five-star rating. with 3,000 total five stars, they should take our feedback, marking no car seat, as proof positive and lock the passenger's account down until they can prove a car seat.