We thought this topic was one we should make our parents aware of, as each and every child attending Norbeck is still required to sit in a car seat. Did you know that having your child wear their winter coats in a car seat can actually be one of the most unsafe things a lot parents do for children in a car? During an official crash test conducted in Michigan, a child dummy was buckled into a car seat wearing a winter coat. Traveling at only 30 miles per hour the crash dummy jerked violently forward during the first test. When the test was conducted a second time the jacket actually came off the child! It is so scary to think that something like this could happen to one of our children. When I buckle my son up in his car seat during the winter months, never once did I think that I was putting my son in danger when I have him wear his jacket in his car seat. During the warmer months we have our littles ones sit in their car seats and buckle them up so they are nice and snug. However, when the colder months comes around when we have our children bundled up, we tend to loosen their straps to allow for the bulk of the coat. By doing this, we are actually doing a disservice to our children because we are actually creating too much space between the buckle and the child’s body for it to be affective. It is recommended to have an extra blanket in your vehicle or put their coats on top of them to keep them warm. So please, the next time you are putting your child in their car seat during the winter months, remember to take off their jacket- it is one of the easiest ways to help keep them safe!
See how wearing a winter coat in a car seat can endanger your child.