Pediatricians Seek Child Aircraft Seat Rules
November 8, 2001
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in an effort to ensure child safety on airplanes, is seeking regulations that will require parents to use restraint devices on their infants during air travel. The AAP is seeking an end to the longstanding rule that children under the age of 2 can sit on their parents' laps during flights.
The Academy is not alone in its efforts. The Association of Flight Attendants and the National Transportation Safety Board also suggest restraints for infants. In addition, a 1996 White House commission report found that restraints should be mandatory for children shorter than 40 inches and weighing less than 40 pounds.
Proponents of the new policy say that infants should be awarded the same protection as other passengers. If the Federal Aviation Administration approves the proposal, infants weighing less than 20 pounds will have to be placed in rear-facing safety seats, while children over the age of 1 and weighing between 20 and 40 pounds will be secured in forward-facing seats.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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