FAA says children under 2 still don't need safety seats

WASHINGTON -- Children younger than 2 will still be allowed to sit on their parents' laps when flying on an airplane, the government said yesterday.

The Federal Aviation Administration had considered making safety seats mandatory on planes for small children.

That would require parents to buy extra plane tickets, which they don't now have to do for children under 2.

The FAA therefore concluded that requiring the safety seats would prompt cost-conscious travelers to drive, which is statistically more dangerous than flying.

Last year, nearly 43,000 people died in highway accidents. Thirteen died on commercial airline flights.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the American Academy of Pediatrics have pushed to require child safety seats on airlines.