During the cold winter
season, we often wear our coats in the car, but according to new crash tests
done by The Today Show, it’s actually better and much safer to take it off and
just blast the heat. This is especially important for small children who use a
car seat.
Surprising new tests show
that letting kids wear coats in car seats is dangerous. While we know to be
mindful on the road, and keep our seat belts fastened, this is one very common
mistake that most parents are actually guilty of. According to a report by Jeff
Rossen on Today, by “putting your kids in car seats while wearing their winter
jackets, parents think they’re strapping them in and keeping them safe, but
they’re really setting the kids up for possible danger.”
Puffy coats can create the
illusion that the car seat harness is secure and that the child is strapped in
tight. In the crash test conducted by The Today Show, the difference of wearing
a coat and not wearing a coat while in a car seat was shocking. In the test
where the child-dummy was wearing a coat, the coat compressed and created an
unsafe gap between the seat belt and the passenger/dummy. The crash test dummy
was practically leaning out of the car seat after the impact occurred. As
opposed to the crash test with the dummy not wearing a winter coat, it managed
to completely stay secured within the seat, and these crash tests were only
done at 30 miles per hour.
Parents want to make sure
that their child is warm but comfortably buckled in the car seat without a
coat. The safest place for a child to be sat is in the back middle seat, away
from all air bags. There shouldn’t be any slack in the buckled straps. There
should be a nice tight fit of the car seat’s harness to the child’s body. You
should not be able to pinch any webbing up at the shoulder, and the shoulder
clip should be at armpit level.
If your child is cold
without the coat, they can always wear their jacket backwards over the harness,
or keep a cozy blanket in the car. There are always ways to still feel warm and
snuggled in, but also safe. Most people wouldn’t think how a coat makes a difference,
but it does. The truth is there are plenty of parents who did not know this, so
if you are a parent, it’s a good idea to pass along the info with other parents
you think would benefit from it. Spreading awareness can help decrease
injuries.
If
you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor,
Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield,
Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City
Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys
know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your
feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the
compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow
Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join
the conversation by using #MCAA.
