Car & Plane Safety Travel Tips

Whether visiting relatives for the holidays, attending home-comings or just getting away for a vacation, the next few months will be filled with travel. It’s stressful enough trying to get out the door on time and dealing with airport security, but when you’re travelling with kids, it’s even worse.

So whether you will be traveling by car or plane, here are a few good safety tips and to-dos before leaving the house.

• Booster seats are not allowed on planes. Be sure to check with your airline ahead of time to see if they can provide a child restraint system (CRS). If they don’t, make sure your CRS is government approved and has "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" printed on it. Otherwise, you may be asked to check the CRS as baggage.

• When flying domestically, ID for your child is not required however depending on the airline, they may require that you show proof your child’s age with a birth certificate. So, before heading to the airport, check with the airline to learn about their specific rules.

• Even though the airline does not require ID it still important for your kids to carry vital information with them. If your child is old enough, have them memorize your home and cell phone numbers as well as home address. You can also create a tag listing your contact numbers, location of where you are staying as well as any medical conditions. Tape the list to the inside of one of their shoes or purchase a wrist ID band.

• Pack a small backpack that your child can wear with some essentials for the trip – crayons, books, snacks and a change of clothes.

• When possible have everyone wear slip-on shoes, as this makes going through security a little easier.

• Remove or store away objects such as lose change in the car. In an accident situation, seemingly harmless objects can cause severe injuries. Also, keep blankets out of reach as a toddler could innocently put it over the head of a sleeping infant.

• Place a neon colored sticker on the side of the car seat with your child's important vital information such as allergies and blood type. This will provide EMTs with a better idea of how to treat them if you are in an accident and rendered unconscious.

Happy & Safe Travels!

• Tweet