17. Transportation Requirements: Vehicle

Question 1

Vehicle

Answer 1

~ must be inspected annually by a mechanic to ensure it is in proper working order
~ documentation that the annual inspection occurred must be maintained by the child care program in the vehicle
~ child care programs must comply with the insurance requirements found in the Florida Statutes
~ parents’ personal vehicles used for transporting children during field trips are excluded from meeting these requirements
~ while transporting children, the interior of the vehicles must be kept at comfortable temperatures between 65 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit
~ a vehicle can be ventilated by mechanical or natural means to maintain the temperature
~ the number of individuals being transported may not exceed the manufacturer’s designated seating capacity or the number of factory-installed seat belts
~ the staff-to-child ratio must be maintained at all times
~ if the driver meets the background and training requirements, they can be included in the ratio
~ each child being transported must be seated in a back seat using a factory-installed seat belt or federally approved child safety restraint that is installed, secured, and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, which are maintained in the vehicle or on file at the program

Question 2

When transporting children, the following must be followed:

Answer 2

• Children aged birth to one year old must be secured in a rear-facing car safety seat
• Children aged one to three years old must be in a restraint device, such as a separate carrier or built-in child seat
• Children aged four years old must be in a restraint device, such as a separate carrier, built-in child seat, or child booster seat with appropriate seat belt
• Children aged five years old or older must be in seat belts
• If applicable, the vehicle must accommodate for the placement of a wheelchair, or the child must be placed in a federally approved child restraint that is appropriate to the child’s needs.