Everything you ever wanted to know about car seats in Nicaragua!
If you are planning a trip with your children, getting around safely is probably at the forefront of your mind. You might wonder what car seat use looks like in Nicaragua.
The first thing to know is that Nicaragua does not have a culture of using car seats. The vast majority of Nicaraguans do NOT use car seats with their children.
The most common way to transport a kid is held by mama in the back seat of a vehicle. However, this is also a country where it’s not uncommon to see three people crammed on a motorcycle with a helmet-less baby on someone's hip! I will say that Managua has come a long way with vehicle safety since I first moved here over a decade ago, and most of that can be attributed to the police cracking down with fines for not wearing helmets and seat belts. When you go to the back roads or the pueblos though, it’s a different story.
My Experience with Car Seats in Nicaragua
Before I had my first child, I had a visitor come over and comment on the nice “baby rocker” I’d purchased - which was actually an infant car seat. My husband's family members were shocked that I put my infant in a car seat for the ride home from the hospital, as the common perception is that mama’s arms are the safest place to be. Honestly, 3 years later, friends, family, and acquaintances alike have never stopped giving me a hard time about putting my kids in car seats - especially when they are crying, and unfortunately for me, both of my kids were not big fans of the car seat as infants.
I’m proud to report that my 3-year old still sits in her car seat for nearly every ride, despite earning me a reputation as “that crazy gringa mom who makes her kids suffer in car seats." Despite the uphill battle, I encourage everyone in Nicaragua - visitors, expats, and locals alike - to try to keep their kids safe and use car seats whenever possible. Road accidents are probably the biggest danger to children here, and that's why using a car seat is so important for child safety.
Car Seat Laws in Nicaragua
So what does the Nicaraguan national law say about car seats? This is an excerpt of article 37 of Law 431:
“Los conductores de vehículos automotor deben garantizar y asegurar a los niños menores de siete años el uso de sillas adecuadas o sistemas de retención infantil. Se prohíbe transportar niños menores de siete años en el asiento delantero.” // "Drivers of motor vehicles must guarantee and insure that children under age 7 use proper seats or child restraint systems. It is prohibited for children under age 7 to ride in the front seat.”
In sum, although there is technically a law on the books about child restraints in cars, the law does not specify what a “proper seat” entails. In practice, the only aspect that I have seen enforced is that babies and young children cannot ride in the front seat.
Where to Buy a Car Seat
Are you looking for a car seat or booster seat in Managua? These are your best options:
Bring Your Own: This isn't particularly helpful advice if you're already here, but even though flying with car seats can be a pain, the best option is definitely to bring your own car seat to Nicaragua, no matter which country you are coming from. The car seat will almost surely be cheaper than what you can get here. Remember that it's usually free to check a car seat on a flight (as long as you have a baby or child with you!).
PriceSmart: PriceSmart is the Central American Costco alternative and usually has a Graco Contender convertible seat and a Graco booster seat in stock. In my experience, this is the best balance of affordability and quality in Managua. However, you need a PriceSmart membership to purchase at the club.
Siman: Siman Nicaragua, located in both the Galerias Santo Domingo and Metrocentro malls, carries car seats with brands like Graco, Fisher Price, and Uppababy. This is a pricy department store, and the car seats are at least 40% more expensive than what you would pay in the US.
Facebook Marketplace or Expats Facebook groups: Although buying a used car seat is usually not recommended in other countries, certainly a lightly used car seat is better than no car seat at all. The Expats of Managua and Expats in Nicaragua groups sometimes have foreigners selling good brands at affordable prices. Use your judgment though!
Tips for Using a Car Seat in Nicaragua
Traveling in a personal car (whether rented or owned) is by far the best way to ensure car seat use in Nicaragua, because taxis often don't have seat belts.
I do not have personal experience with renting a car with a car seat, but I would highly recommend bringing your own seat and installing it in the rental car, even if the option appears to be available.
I have never seen a car with the LATCH system here (will confess I didn’t even know what it was until recently), so plan on using the vehicle seat belt. While LATCH is convenient, the vehicle seat belt is also perfectly safe when installed correctly.
If you need to use a taxi, I would recommend using a ride sharing app, which might be more likely to offer a car equipped with a seat belt.