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On the Road With an Infant
How Can You Keep Babies Happy and Safe on Long Car Trips?
By Melinda Copp
Although car seat safety is important every single time you put your baby in the car, a long road trip is a good opportunity to double-check that your car seat meets safety standards and that it is properly installed. Hospitals, pediatrician's offices, fire departments, police stations and other community locations often hold car seat installation checks and clinics that teach parents how to properly install their child's car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics publishes a booklet on child car seats and child car restraints, which is updated annually. And you can find more information through the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and SeatCheck.org.
If you're going to be renting a car once you reach your destination, you should take your car seat with you, especially if you are traveling in a foreign country. And if you're planning on driving abroad, you may have difficulty finding a car with seat belts, so try to make your arrangements ahead of time or give yourself extra time to locate one once you reach your destination.
As always, do not drink and drive and avoid medications that might impair your ability to drive, such as allergy medications and sleeping pills.
"Road accidents are the No. 1 cause of deaths on vacation, both at home and abroad," Dr. Ryder says. "Do not plan to drive in a foreign country right after a long flight when you are exhausted and jet-lagged – you may be driving on the 'wrong' side of the road, on less than ideal roads and in an unfamiliar vehicle."
Keeping Baby HappyWant to see more?
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