Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Importance of Properly Using Car Seats in the Winter

It may be winter but that doesn’t change the rules when it comes to proper car seat safety. It is important to continue to use them correctly to ensure that your kids are protected in the event of an accident.

It is important to dress and cover our children properly for the weather but it is also important that they are properly secured in their car seats when they ride in the car. Jackets and blankets should NEVER be worn under the car seat harness, this causes space between your baby and the belt and in the case of an accident the jacket or blanket fluff compresses and your baby can be ejected from the car seat!


In the following photos I will demonstrate how much space a jacket or blanket can leave between your baby and the harness. I have tightened the belt properly over both the jacket and the blanket separately and then removed them and re-buckled my daughter in without re adjusting the belts to demonstrate the space left.


First we see the jacket: 


Here we see the blanket: 

Did you notice how much space was left by the jacket and blanket? Would you fasten your child in this loosely any other time? I wouldn’t and that is why it is important to realize what would happen if the harness was this loose in an accident.

Although your baby should not be wearing a jacket or blanket or anything else thick you can still keep them warm when it's cold. There are many solutions that still maintain your baby safe:

  • Remove your baby’s jacket and once they are properly fastened into the car seat you can put it on them backwards.
  • Instead of your baby wearing a bulky coat when you go out you can wrap them up in a warm blanket and after they are properly fastened into their car seat you can place the blanket over them.

These solutions are very simple and could save your baby's life. Do not risk the life of your child, use the car seat properly without putting something thick between them and the harness because it is better to be safe than sorry.



Si te gustaría esta entrada en español por favor visita Pompa En Tela.

2 comments:

  1. I LOVE THE POST I STILL PUT MY DAUGHTER IN A CAR SEAT SHE IS AUTISTIC NONVERBAL BUT SHE LIKED TO TRY TO GET OUT OF HER SEATS SO IT IS A DIRE NEED FOR US TO USE ONE AND IT KEEPS ME AT EASE KNOWING SHE IS SAFE THANKS FOR TEH POST

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  2. Thank you for this. I really wasn't aware of this until a few months ago and I don't a lot of people realize it either! That's why we will be keeping plenty of blankies in the truck in the winter.:)

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