ROANOKE, Va. – As it’s getting colder out, parents want to keep their kids nice and toasty — but it’s also important to keep them safe when they’re in the car.
Experts say wearing bulky winter coats, or snow pants, in car seats hinders their effectiveness.
The fluff of the coats makes the seatbelt harness too loose.
They say instead, to wear the coat outside, and take it off once your child is in the car.
You can also put a blanket on, or their coat on backwards once they’re buckled.
“We tighten that harness system down, again that’s so important. Everything needs to be snug. Everything lays in a flat line to where you cannot pinch any of the webbing together. They’re snug, they’re contained, and then the kids just stick their arms out and we stick the jacket over them backward,” Carilion Children’s Safe Kids Coordinator Jill Drakeford said.
They also said for younger kids, not to put hats or hoods on in the car — at risk of suffocation or overheating.
