KUSA - Children wearing a winter jacket may not be secure in their car seats.
9NEWS medical expert Dr. John Torres says, in a serious crash just a couple of inches could make a huge difference in keeping your child safe because puffy coats can actually compress, making the car seat straps far too loose. This can result in serious injuries during impact, or the child could be ejected from the seat.
Dr. John says, you want to get the car seat straps as tight as possible to the child. He demonstrated what's called the "pinch test" during 9NEWS at 11 and 9NEWS at Noon.
When you put the strap over the child's shoulder, you shouldn't be able to pinch it in your fingers.On cold days, consider putting the coat backwards over the child on the outside of the straps, or keeping a blanket in the car.
While many parents don't realize the dangers coats pose in car seats, the "no coats" rule is actually written in the manual for most car seats.
