To Buckle Up or Not to Buckle Up in a Hawaii Taxi?

That seemed to be the question after a Hawaii law passed requiring all passengers in a motor vehicle to wear a seat belt. Confusion and misinformation jammed the roadway of laws for a bit, leaving cab companies wondering if this also included their customers.

Turns out, passengers sitting in the back of a cab must click it, but it’s the driver that will get hit with the ticket. That means a $92 citation for each passenger not wearing a seat belt. For those curious, the driver doesn’t have to wear a seat belt when there are passengers in the back but will have to wear one when there are no passengers.

Confused yet? It’s OK. Just stick to what you really need to know, and that is to buckle up in the back of any vehicle in Hawaii (including taxis). The law doesn’t address tour buses or city buses, but I’m guessing if there are seat belts available, then wear them!

Another question that’s surfaced recently was whether children (under 8 years old) need a booster while riding a cab. The answer is, no. Hawaii’s child restraint seat law did not change and taxis and commercial vehicles are still exempt.

Buuuut, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a citation involved. One that cabdrivers would not be responsible for but instead the parents. Go figure – it’s not the law, but you’ll still get busted for it? This is getting too complicated. Some cab companies offer booster seats for a small fee, so be sure to let the dispatcher know in advance.

While this law obviously needs to still be sorted out, lets just play it safe and buckle up, no matter what.

Photo Courtesy: Wiki Commons

Posted by: Bruce Fisher on Jun 3, 2013