Taxis "Must" Provide
Child Seats
A decision by
the Sala
Constitucional
on Thursday says
that all
"formal" taxis
must provide a
child sear or
booster, as
required by the
Ley de Tránsito
that went into
effect on March
1, 2010.
The court
decision caught
taxi operator,
as well as
transport
officials, by
surprise.
The court
decision
followed an
appeal by woman
identified as
Rojas López
against the
Ministerio de
Obras Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT),
alleging that
her rights were
violated when a
taxi driver
would not accept
her fare while
accompanied by
her two children
aged 6 and 3.
The woman said
in her claim she
was refused
service by four
taxis while
attempting to
get to a medical
appointment at
the Children's
hospital, being
denied each time
the service, the
taxi driver not
wanting to be
exposed to the
fine for
carrying minors
in the vehicle
without proper
restraints.
The woman told
the court that
she missed her
appointment, an
appointment she
had waited eight
months.
Although the
magistrates
dismissed the
appeal, saying
there wasn't
substantiated
evidence of the
violation of her
rights, the
court did order
the MOPT to
enforce the
legal
requirements of
taxi drivers.
Gilberth Ureña,
speaking for the
Foro Nacional de
Taxis and
Fenacotaxi RL
taxi unions,
expressed
opposition to
the court
ruling.
"We want to
transport all of
the children of
Costa Rica, but
we do not accept
this approach.
What happens
when we are
faced with two
or three
children at one
time, do we have
to carry two and
three child
seats and
boosters? Therre
is not enough
room in the cars
for that and
cannot carry all
the passengers
in such case",
said Ureña.
The union rep
said the court
decision will be
closed analyzed
to prepare a
rebuttal to the
arguments.
"Someone is out
to hurt us. It
is unusual that
a driver would
refuse service",
said Ureña.
Up to Thursday,
taxi drivers, in
the same way of
bus drivers,
were not
required to have
to provide child
restraint for
minors.
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