Are Baby & Child Safety Seats Available With Rental Cars in Dubai?

The simple answer is YES. Baby & child safety seats are widely available with rental cars in Dubai, and they’re a must for both safety and legal compliance. Whether you’re cruising through the city in a budget-friendly sedan or a luxury SUV, ensuring your child’s safety is paramount. It starts with acquiring baby or child seats. It should be your topmost priority whenever you hire a car in Dubai or anywhere else. Prioritizing your child’s well-being starts with securing the right safety seat—here’s everything you need to know.

Why Child Safety Seats Matter

The name itself is self-explanatory: a Child Safety Seat is crucial for ensuring your children's safety during vehicle travel. The main purpose of these seats is to significantly reduce the risk of injury in the event of accidents. They're specifically designed to prevent ejections and minimize impact force in any unfortunate situation. Adult seat belts are simply not appropriate for children, which is why baby or child seats are mandatory – they quite literally save the lives of young travelers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child restraints can reduce the risk of death by up to 28% for children aged 2–6 years. In Dubai, a 2017 study by Monash University found that 52% of children were unrestrained in vehicles, highlighting the critical need for proper car seats.

Beyond critical safety, these seats also contribute to your child's comfort and convenience during the journey. Age-appropriate seats allow children to sit comfortably, reducing fuss and making trips more pleasant. Furthermore, the consistent use of straps from a young age helps them develop an important habit, instilling general vehicle safety awareness early on. This positive habit will serve them well into the future.

The availability and use of safety seats for children with rental cars are also directly tied to Dubai's traffic regulations, a topic we'll delve into in a later section.

Types of Baby Safety Seats Available with Rental Cars

Most car rental companies in Dubai offer all three types of child or baby safety seats. These seats are practical and accommodate children of various age groups. Children's age, weight, and height determine the type of safety seat. The following are the seat types you can get with a rental car in Dubai:

1. Booster Seats

Booster seats are for children in the age group 4 to 12 years. Booster seats are a crucial step before your children begin using the vehicle's car seat belts directly. Children between 4 and 6 years old can use booster seats with backrests. These types will raise the child to a suitable height, enabling the correct and safe use of the original seat belt across their body. On the other hand, children aged between 6 and 12 years are typically the target audience for a booster cushion. It functions in a similar way to a booster seat with a backrest, ensuring proper seat belt fit.

Ideal for:

• Age: 4 – 12 years

• Weight: 15 – 36 kg

• Height: 100 – 150 cm

2. Forward-Facing Seats

Forward-facing child seats are designed for those children who’ve outgrown the baby seats (rear-facing). They come with a much wider space and a secure harness system. They also include enhanced side-impact cushioning for additional protection. These seats must be placed on the rear seats of the car, just like the baby seats.

Ideal for:

• Age: 9 months – 4 years

• Weight: 9 – 18 kg

• Height: 75 – 100 cm

3. Rear Facing Seats

Rear-facing seats are widely considered the safest baby seats for the youngest individuals, specifically those typically under the age of 1.5 years. Infants and toddlers must use these seats for optimal safety. They are ideal for supporting an infant's delicate spine, neck, and head, as in a collision, they cradle the child and distribute the impact force more evenly across the strongest parts of their body. In Dubai, baby seats (rear-facing) are mandatory if your child weighs less than 9 kg.

Ideal for:

• Age: Newborn–18 months

• Weight: under 13 kg

• Height: up to 75 cm

Note: Some companies offer convertible seats (rear- to forward-facing) or i-Size seats (height-based, R129 standard), which require ISOFIX points in the vehicle. Confirm with your rental company if your chosen car has ISOFIX anchors.

Booking Child Safety Seats and Associated Costs

Many of Dubai's top-tier car rentals offer child or baby safety seats, but it's important to note that while some might provide them as a complementary service, most reputable rental companies typically charge an additional fee. So, the ideal time to inquire about and secure baby seats is before confirming your booking. Whenever you're traveling with children, you should request child safety seats at the time of booking. Why? It's because baby safety seats are subject to availability, especially with rental companies that might offer them for free. Rental companies may not accept last-minute requests, so it pays to be prepared.

Provide the car rental agent with the appropriate age, height, and weight of your children at the time of booking your rental. This is the best way to ensure they provide you with the correct child seats, making it their obligation to have the required number of seats ready on your pickup day.

The rental companies that charge for safety seats as a service may charge you up to AED 350 per month. While finding a free option is great, consider that many major rental companies do charge for this essential service, often daily with a monthly cap. Choosing a company that charges might still offer better overall value or a more suitable vehicle. However, in case of damage to the seats, you will be responsible, with the cost depending on the nature of the damage. Regardless, the safety of your children outweighs everything else while renting a family car in Dubai.

Dubai’s Child Safety Seat Rules & Regulations

The UAE has a specific set of rules and regulations when it comes to child safety in a car. A few years ago, on 1 July 2017, this country implemented a mandatory child safety seat law as a crucial part of the Federal Traffic Law No. 178. This law prioritizes the optimal safety of children in a moving vehicle at all times. Here are the major key provisions:

• Every child under the age of four years must be secured in an appropriate child safety seat in the rear seat of the car, using ISOFIX anchors if required for i-Size seats.

• Children under the age of 10 years or those below 145 cm in height are prohibited from traveling in the front seat of the car.

• Violation of these laws incurs an AED 400 fine and 4 black points on the driver’s license, which accumulate and may lead to license suspension, enforced by the RTA.

These rules aim to significantly reduce serious injuries and child fatalities during car accidents. The UAE government claims that the implementation of these regulations has had a profound impact, leading to a 54% reduction in child fatalities and a 70% decrease in infant deaths in accidents.

Bottomline

Baby or child safety seats are a crucial aspect of car rental if you are traveling with your children. They not only keep your child safe and secure in unfortunate circumstances but also provide comfort during the journey. On the other hand, they come for free with most car rentals in Dubai; don't hesitate to inquire about them. Rent a car with FriendsCarRental and get free child safety seats throughout your rental period.