Road trips with a baby

Driving lets you take all the kit, set your own schedule, and explore coastlines and national parks — provided you know the local child car seat rules and plan frequent stops so your baby doesn't spend hours in a car seat. Here's what official UK, US state, and European sources say, with links so you can check them yourself.

Start here

• Best US National Parks with a baby or toddler: paved stroller trails in Yosemite Valley, Zion Canyon, Grand Canyon South Rim, Acadia and Yellowstone, NPS shuttle bus car seat rules, and infant altitude guidelines.
• US car seat laws by state (Rear-facing under-2 & taxi/Uber rules): which 20+ US states mandate rear-facing under age 2 and where rideshares require a car seat.
• Renting a car with a baby in the US (Hertz, Enterprise, Avis, Alamo & AAA free seat perk): daily rental car seat fees ($13–$15/day), how to get a free Hertz child seat with AAA, and why bringing a $59 Cosco Scenera NEXT wins.
• Best car seats for airplanes & travel in the US (2026): Cosco Scenera NEXT (6.8 lbs), WAYB Pico (8 lbs folding), Doona, and CARES harness compared.
• Colorado with a baby (Infant high-altitude rules, Rocky Mountain stroller trails & updated car seat law).
• RV trips & camping with a baby in the US: car seat safety in Class A/C motorhomes vs towable campers, KOA Deluxe Cabins, and safe sleep.
• Lightest infant car seats for travel: lightweight carriers with belt paths for rental cars, taxis and planes.
• FAA car seat rules on planes (US): mandatory red FMVSS 213 approval lettering, window seat rule, CARES harness and TSA screening.
• Car seats on planes: 19 airlines compared: airline-by-airline rules across the US, UK and Europe.
• Car seat rules in Europe: limits by country, taxis and hire cars.
• Car hire with a baby: hiring a baby seat with Europcar, Avis and SIXT, prices and guarantees.
• US State guides & car seat laws: California (rear-facing under 2 mandatory), Florida (carrier required ages 0–3), Hawaii (rear-facing under 2 mandatory), and New York (rear-facing under 2 in private cars; yellow taxis & TLC rideshares exempt).
• Eurotunnel Le Shuttle with a baby: driving to France through the Channel Tunnel.
• Pre-loved baby gear: why second-hand car seats are best avoided.

UK & US car seat laws in brief

• In the UK: GOV.UK says children must normally use a child car seat until they're 12 years old or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first (GOV.UK). Height-based seats (R129 / i-Size) must be rear-facing until over 15 months old.
• In the United States: All 50 states require federally approved (FMVSS 213) child restraint systems for infants and young children, and states including California, New York, and Hawaii legally require children under 2 years old to ride rear-facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NHTSA advise keeping toddlers rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the maximum height or weight limit allowed by their car seat manufacturer.

Fitting rules that catch people out

From GOV.UK and NHTSA:

• Never put a rear-facing baby seat in front of an active front airbag. In most US states (such as California) and European countries, young children must ride in the back seat whenever rear seats exist.
• Never fit a child car seat in a side-facing seat.
• When flying to pick up a rental car, bringing your own car seat (checked free on every major US and UK airline) ensures a clean, crash-free seat that you already know how to install.

Sleep in the car & breaks on long drives

Both the Lullaby Trust and the AAP emphasise that car seats are designed for protection in a moving car, not as a routine sleeping place. Take a break of at least 15–20 minutes every two hours (Highway Code rule 91) to lift your baby out of the car seat for a feed, a nappy/diaper change, and a flat stretch, and transfer them to a firm, flat cot or Pack 'n Play as soon as you arrive.

Sources

• GOV.UK
• NHTSA
• Lullaby Trust
• Highway Code rule 91

Last checked and updated: 30 October 2026 · Kiddieko · How we check facts