Traveling With Kids

KIMA

Story Published: Jul 23, 2008 at 4:55 PM PDT

By Heather Reese

If you’re traveling with your kids via plane, train, or automobile, the “Consumer Reports Guide to Childproofing and Safety” has some tips to make your trip go more smoothly.

First, make sure you take a stroller that’s lightweight. Don’t overload it. A lot of parents like to put everything in the stroller, and put things on the handle, but that could cause it to tip.

When traveling on planes, the safest place for your child is not in your lap, but in a child safety seat. If you’re traveling on a plane you have to remember that it should be certified for airline use. Check the labels of your seat. Place the child seat in a window seat. That’s to avoid blocking the emergency escape path. And bring some healthy food for your child, because you can’t be sure of what you’ll get onboard.

When traveling by car, make sure your little ones have soft toys to play with. Hard toys can actually be a danger in an accident. And another caution, a sunshade that has a metal bar in it could dislodge in a crash and could injure or harm your child.

Being well prepared will mean you and your kids can travel safely and the trip will be a lot more fun.

Although you may be tempted, never take a crying child out of the car seat while driving. Instead, pull over and then comfort the child. For more info on child safety seats, go to www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/travel-gear/car-seats/reports/index.htm.

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