Parent Talk / June 2007
Up, Up and Away
Family vacations are a dearly-held American tradition, unlikely to be abandoned despite security alerts and gasoline prices. Squirming youngsters are part of the package but parents and grandparents of younger children often must take steps to firmly secure their charges. Although U.S. air travel regulations allow infants 24 months and under to sit on an adult’s lap during travel, the use of an approved child seat is the only way to make sure children under 40 pounds are safe in the event of turbulence or in case of an emergency landing.
For air travel, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends that all children up to 40 pounds be restrained in a child seat during flight. On an aircraft, children under 20 pounds are safest in a rear-facing child seat while children 20 - 40 pounds are safest in a forward-facing child seat. Parents should check to make sure that their child seats meet FAA guidelines by looking for a label that says, “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.”
Adults traveling with very small children also should measure their child seats - those wider than 16 inches may not fit in a coach seat on an airplane. And, adults will have to sit in the middle or on the aisle- child seats are permitted only in window seats. Booster seats can help toddlers with the view but they cannot be used on airplanes during the runway taxi, take-off or landing.
Any child weighing over forty pounds should be strapped directly into their airline seat.
If the family is planning on renting a car at their vacation destination, experts recommend that travelers use their own child seats whenever possible. The best child seat is one that fits the child, fits the vehicle and is the easiest to install correctly, each and every time. Familiarity with the fit of a child seat and its installation process can bring piece of mind to everyone.
If bringing along the family child seat isn’t possible, most car rental companies do offer child seats for an additional cost. However, reservations are recommended well in advance because many car rental companies have only a limited number of child seats available.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
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