
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 13, 1990                   TAG: 9007130718
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

FAA OPPOSES AIRLINER CHILD-SAFETY SEATS

Requiring child safety seats on airliners for infants instead of continuing to let parents hold them on their laps would cost more lives than it would save, the Federal Aviation Administration maintains.

The FAA on Thursday cited past experience to estimate that such a requirement would save only one child's life over the next decade - but at an additional cost of $3 billion to families who fly.

"While the chance of survival aboard an airplane may be slightly improved, the costs associated with mandating the carriage of a child in a separate seat will divert a significant number of families from . . . air travel to far less safe travel by automobile," said Associate FAA Administrator Anthony Broderick.

However, sponsors of House and Senate bills that would require the FAA to mandate child safety restraints on airliners attacked the study as "specious" and vowed to press ahead with their legislation.

- Associated Press

by CNB