Warning for parents: Remove puffy coats before putting child in car seat
On these cold North Carolina mornings, well-intentioned parents want their kids snug and safe -- wearing bulky warm coats and strapped into their car seats. However, puffy coats and car seats can actually be a dangerous combination.
All the extra bulk of a winter coat can strip away some of the safety a car seat offers.
Emily Thomas, a Ph.d Consumer Report car seat expert said, "In a crash, all that puffiness would compress leaving this extra room.
According to Thomas, this additional room gives the child a chance to wiggle free of the safety of his car seat, potentially injuring himself on dangers within the crashed vehicle.
Thomas realizes the extra step of removing a child's coat before strapping them into a car seat is inconvenient.
"I also do the daycare drop off every morning, and I know that it can be really annoying, but it is really important to their safety," Thomas said.
Here are some easy steps to tell if your child’s coat is too bulky:
- Secure your child in the car seat wearing a coat
- Leave no slack in the harness straps.
- Remove the coat and put your child back in the seat.
- If the straps are loose once the coat is gone, the coat is too bulky.
Parents are encouraged to put a blanket or coat on top of the harness. Older kids can put their coat sleeves on backwards after they are buckled in.
While it takes extra time, making sure your little one is safe is worth the inconvenience.
