Winter coats may be hazardous to children riding in car seats
Information provided by CDOT
Car Seats Colorado is reminding parents and caregivers that bulky winter coats pose a danger to children riding in car seats and should not be worn underneath the harness.
While it may seem counterintuitive (who wouldn’t bundle their child up when it is freezing outside?), strapping your child into his or her car seat while wearing a puffy winter jacket can actually be very dangerous. That is because during a crash, the material of the coat compresses, leaving the harness straps too loose to be effective.
“Of course parents have good intentions when they bundle their children up before getting in the car,” said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Tim Sutherland, child passenger safety coordinator for Car Seats Colorado. “But it’s important to recognize that car seats are only effective when used correctly, and unfortunately this is one of the more common mistakes we see.”
How do you know if your child’s coat is too bulky?
– Put the coat on your child and strap them into their car seat. Tighten the harness until you can’t pinch any excess strap between your thumb and forefinger (this is the “pinch test” to make sure the harness is tight enough).
– Without loosening the harness, remove your child from the car seat.
– Take the coat off, put your child back in the car seat and buckle the harness.
– Now try the pinch test again – if you can pinch excess fabric on the shoulder strap then the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness.
Here’s what to do instead:
– For infants and smaller children, put a blanket over the child in the car seat to keep them warm. Do not cover the entire car seat with the blanket – this can restrict air flow and may lead to carbon dioxide poisoning.
– For toddlers and older children, you can put a blanket over the child after they have been strapped into the harness, or turn their jacket around and put their arms through it backward to keep warm.
– Be very careful not to overheat your child – a baby bundled up with blankets in the car while the heat is blasting can quickly lead to overheating.
Car crashes are a leading cause of death among children under the age of 13 nationwide and, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three out of four children are not properly restrained when riding in vehicles.
Learn more about how to keep children safe in vehicles and download informational resources at CarSeatsColorado.com.
