Thick coats should not be warn when child strapped into car seat
The coats can create too big a gap between the straps and child’s body, new advice states
Advice: Don’t strap little ones into car seats with thick coats
- The coats can create too big a gap between the straps and the child
The cold winter weather is here, but when in a car seat, little ones should not be wearing thick coats, advice states.
The advice from The Good Egg Car Safety Blog reminds parents that thick coats should be taken off before strapping your baby or toddler into their car seat.
The reason it is so important to remove a child’s thick coat when strapping them into the car is because the coat creates too big a gap between the safety harness and the child’s body.
In the instance of a collision, the harness isn’t close enough to the child to properly restrain them.
What is the ideal distance between the harness and the child?
The advice from Good Egg Car Safety is to remove thick layers and strap your child in and tighten the straps so that you can only get two fingers between the harness and your child.
How to keep your child warm while travelling in the car
Babies: Dress your baby in several thin layers for a car journey and Good Egg Car Safety advises using a cosy toes or alternatively a thin blanket that is folded over and tuck it around your baby over their harness once they are already properly strapped into their car seat.
Children: Hats and gloves can remain but again, remove your child’s thick coat and replace with a blanket that is tucked in over the harness once they are strapped in correctly, and do ensure the blanket is tucked under their arm pits. The fact that children can remove the blankets themselves if they get too warm can also help avoid overheating when travelling in the car.