By Laura A. Jana, M.D.

Many families have plans to pack their bags this winter to celebrate the holidays away from home. But with increased traffic and winter weather conditions, there’s all the more reason why parents should take extra precautions to make sure they arrive at their holiday destinations safely.

As a pediatrician, certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician, mother of three and co-author of Heading Home with Your Newborn, I recommend the following tips to help families safely enjoy their winter holiday.

Sit Safely

Remember to keep your child rear facing and in a five-point harness for as long as possible – until the child no longer fits within the weight and height limits of the seat.

Make sure you have a car seat that fits both your car and your child properly. Test the seat in your car before purchasing it. I also recommend investing in a car seat that offers side impact protection. Look for features such as an adjustable head support and deep side and head wings made out of energy-absorbent material to minimize lateral head movement in a crash. To see examples of seats with side impact crash protection features, visit www.britaxusa.com.

Don’t Over-Bundle Your Bundle of Joy

Although it’s important to dress your child in warm clothes during the winter, thick winter coats or snowsuits can significantly loosen the car seat’s straps and compromise your child’s safety. In order for a car seat or booster seat to function properly, the straps need to remain tight against a child’s chest. When placing your child into the car seat, remove coats or snowsuits and put a blanket on top of the baby after he is already in the car seat as needed for extra warmth.

Drive Smart

In bad weather, reduce your speed to match the conditions, but make sure you have enough momentum to keep moving. Allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you and remember to brake gently on snow or ice.

Don’t Check Safety at the Gate

For airplane travel, I advise parents to buy a seat for a child under two years old – even though it’s not always required – and secure him in an FAA-approved car seat to keep him safe not only during takeoff and landing, but in the event of any in-flight turbulence. For infants, travel systems come especially in handy as they can make taking a car seat through the terminal much easier, not to mention offering plenty of extra storage space. You can then simply gate-check the stroller as you board the plane.

By planning ahead and taking a few extra steps, you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the ride. Happy holidays!

About Dr. Laura Jana

Laura Jana, M.D., is a pediatrician, safety advocate and mother of three. She is also a member of the AAP’s Section on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention and the co-author of “Heading Home with Your Newborn; From Birth to Reality.” As a certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician, Dr. Jana has worked to help parents learn to use child seats consistently and properly. Recently, she has focused her attention on raising awareness of the danger of side impact crashes.