Grab Malaysia has introduced Kid-Friendly Rides, a new ride-hailing feature currently in beta that is aimed at families travelling with children aged four to 12. The service offers rides with dedicated booster seats, with participating driver-partners trained to manage the use of child restraint systems (CRS).
The feature is being introduced in accordance with safety guidelines from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS). Grab says the initiative is intended to make it easier for parents to travel with young children without having to carry their own bulky child seats.
This new addition joins Grab’s existing safety features. These include AudioProtect and Women-Only Rides, as part of the company’s efforts to expand safety measures across its ride-hailing platform.
Booster Seats Provided For Eligible Rides
Kid-Friendly Rides (Beta) is available through selected Standard 6-Seater rides, with a limited fleet equipped with booster seats supplied by Koopers. Each eligible booking comes with one dedicated booster seat that can accommodate a child aged four to 12.
Grab Malaysia Executive Director Rashid Shukor said the feature is intended to reduce the hassle of travelling with heavy and cumbersome child seats while helping families prioritise safety when travelling with children. He added that the initiative reflects the company’s collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, MIROS and Koopers on child passenger safety.
According to MIROS Director-General Associate Professor Ir. Ts. Dr. Siti Zaharah Binti Ishak, research has found that booster seats can reduce the risk of injury by 45% for children aged four to eight compared with using seat belts alone. MIROS’s CRS guidelines also emphasise choosing a restraint suitable for the child’s size and ensuring that it is installed correctly.
Currently Limited To Airport Advance Bookings
Another thing to note is that Kid-Friendly Rides is only available through Advance Booking for airport rides to and from KLIA 1 and KLIA 2 for now. Grab says the feature will be rolled out progressively across the wider Klang Valley before subsequently expanding to Penang and Johor Bahru.
To book a Kid-Friendly Ride, users can open the Grab app, tap Car, select the Advance Booking tile and schedule their preferred pickup time. After entering an airport pickup or drop-off location, the feature can then be selected under Standard 6-Seater or Grab EV Exec, where available.
For Standard 6-Seater rides, the booster seat is available as a RM10 add-on per booking. Meanwhile, Koopers Boost Fix booster seats are offered as a free value-added feature on Grab EV Exec rides.
(Source: Grab Malaysia press release)
