A bulky winter jacket makes it hard to tighten the internal harness straps of a child car seat snugly. In a collision, the insulation compresses, creating extra space between the body and the straps. This is reported by the American Academy of Pediatrics on the HealthyChildren website.
Winter jacket in a car seat: how a dangerous gap occurs
Straps fastened over a puffer jacket may seem tight enough. However, under load the thick layer of clothing flattens, and the restraint loosens. The child can slip out of the straps and be ejected from the seat.
You can check the thickness of the clothing before the trip. Fasten the child in the jacket and adjust the straps. Then unfasten them without changing the length, take off the jacket and seat the child again. If you can now pinch the strap webbing into a fold at the shoulder, the clothing left excessive slack.
Buckling up a child in winter: how to stay warm and keep a snug fit
Before the trip, the bulky jacket should be removed. Thin layers of clothing, a hat, gloves and warm socks will keep the child warm. The procedure is as follows:
seat the child in the seat and smooth out the straps;
fasten and tighten them according to the manufacturer's instructions;
check that the webbing does not bunch into a fold at the shoulder;
cover the child with a blanket or jacket over the fastened straps, leaving the face uncovered.
A thick blanket should not be placed under the child or between the child and the straps. The jacket can also be put on backwards after buckling up.
"The child should be warmed on top of the fastened straps: bulky clothing underneath them creates slack that can become dangerous in a collision," notes the author Oleksii Astapov.
