Experts recommend car seats to keep children safe on airplanes

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) — Experts say car seats are the best way to keep your kids safe on an airplane.

Many families are not done traveling for the holidays just yet. Long drives and flights can be challenging for those with young children in tow.

Maureen Johnson, a child passenger safety specialist at the UVM Health Network, says if your child uses a car seat in the car, it’s best to use one on the plane as well.

It will protect them in times of turbulence and in the event of an accident on the runway.

“There may be different instructions, so it is very important to read and follow the car seat manual. Another thing is that you need to make sure that your car seat is certified for use on an airplane, as well as in a motor vehicle. So there will be a label on the car seat that says if the car seat is certified for use on an airplane,” Johnson said.

She says to make sure you know where that tag is before you get on the plane because the airline staff may want to see it. And, of course, make sure that the seat is correctly installed on the plane and, as always, that you use it correctly.

Watch the video to see our Christina Guessferd’s full conversation with Maureen Johnson.

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