Child Travel Safety Tips

A vacation should be fun for the whole family, and keeping your child safe is an essential element of a good trip. Check out these travel safety tips for your next getaway:

• All children need their own seats on airplanes. And children under the age of 2 or weighing less than 40 pounds should be securely fastened in child restraint seats on planes, according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
• If you plan to use a car seat on the plane, make sure that it's FAA approved. The label on the restraint should read: "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft." Check the seat size, too. A car seat wider than 16 inches can't fit properly in a coach seat.
• Ask about child-size emergency equipment. Call the airlines to make sure your particular aircraft has emergency equipment, such as life preservers, specifically designed for small children.
• Keep your child belted at all times. Turbulence can happen without warning, so keep your child belted in as much as possible. If your child wants to get up and move around, make sure the seat-belt sign is off before you unbuckle him.
• Don't seat your child on the aisle. Small children enjoy reaching out and exploring. If they are on the aisle, they could get hurt by a person or serving cart going down the aisle.
• Accompany your child to the lavatory. The bathroom may have sharp or hard objects that can injure a child. The lavatory door can trap a child's finger or hand as it opens and closes.