As cooler weather approaches, parents bundle children in coats to keep them warm. Cold months require heavier coats, but puffy or bulky coats can create extra room in the harness causing a loose fit and putting the child at risk for an injury in the event of a crash. Here are some tips for outerwear that will permit a snug fit of the car seat harness but keep children warm during travel.
- Dress in thin layers: Have children wear thin, snug-fitting layers like a fleece or sweater before buckling them into their car seat.
- Use a blanket: Once the child’s harness is properly secured, place a blanket over the harnessed child for additional warmth.
- Slip on the child’s coat backwards: After the child is buckled in snugly, have the child slide their arms into the sleeves of the puffy coat, wearing the coat over the harnessed child.
Why winter puffy coats reduce safety in car seats
- Compression: The extra coat material will compress in a crash, creating extra space and making the harness less effective in securing the child.
- Risk of injury: The slack allows the child to slide forward, potentially leading to serious injury to the chest, head, and neck, or even ejection from the seat in a crash.
- Harness fit: Puffy coats add bulk to the child and prevent the harness straps from being pulled tight enough to properly secure the child.
Check to determine if the child’s coat is too bulky and not safe to use under the car seat harness:
- Put the coat on the child and correctly place the car seat harness on the child’s body.
- Buckle the harness and adjust snugly to fit the child. A snug harness does not allow the webbing to be folded between your thumb and forefinger when pinched at the shoulder.
- Without loosening the harness, unbuckle and remove the child from the car seat.
- Remove the coat and place the child back in the car seat. Correctly place the harness on the child’s body and buckle the harness straps. If you can pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger, the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness.
Overheating During Travel: When children are secured in their car seat with a heavy coat, they may start to overheat and sweat during travel. The layers placed over the child for warmth can easily be removed as the car heats up, keeping the child comfortable during the trip.
Educational Flyer: Harnessing Safely During Winter