Child Car Seat Winter Safety: Tips for Parents

Winter Car Seat Safety 101

Winter is a wonderful time of year with special snowflake activities and cuddly moments, but it can present added challenges for parents – not the least of which include car seat safety. Making sure your baby stays warm and safe in their car seats takes a little extra care. Here is how you can tackle these chilling months being prepared, and ensuring the warmth of your little one.

WINTER SAFETY FOR CHILD CAR SEATS

Winter safety should not be limited to just saving your child from frostbite but also about making sure that the same steps we take to protect our children from cold do not become a barrier for their lives. In an accident, the winter coat padding can compress so much that there is now a gap between your child's body and the doing his job — securing him. The gap can result in the harness failing to restrain the child, and therefore increase the risk of serious injury. So, when it comes to winter travel safety for kids in car seats, these are not really «nice things» that the CPSTA folks say just because they care; this is what you must do.

Cold Weather Challenges

Cold weather presents a handful of challenges that might compromise car seat safety. This is the case with icy roads, which multiply car crashes making it even more important that a child safety seat performs properly. Furthermore, the urge to wrap children in their heavy cold-weather gear, which can affect obtaining a tight harness fit, is problematic.

In addition to that, the flexibility and performance of car seat materials can be affected by cold temperatures, which makes it important to carry out a periodic inspection. These trials are by no means trivial, but with the proper know-how and forethought they can be dealt with.

• Accidents have higher chance because its slippery roads.
• Loose harnesses can result from bulky clothing.
• The cold can make car seat material not work as well.

Know The Hazards Of Winter Wear

When it's cold out, you feel challenged to want to put your kiddo in the warmest cocoon ever. But bulky winter coats and snowsuits can give parents a false sense of security. Today, we're taking a look at why those care appears to counterintuitive can introduce some hazards.

How Bulky Clothes Affect Car Seats

Our heavy winter jacket (while warm) created too much space between the child and harness. This force, in a crash can crush the clothing material effectively making the seat belts looser. Also, this play can cause a child to be ejected from the seat as well which is something nobody that has children wants to happen.

For example, blow up a balloon and then press it flat. Its home… no longer there. Likewise, a puff coat can easily be mashed down under force and the harness becomes less efficient. That''s why you want to choose the thinnest layers that which will have your harness layer closest to their body.

Risks of Loose Harnesses

The single biggest problem with car seats in the winter is loose harnesses. If the harness isn't tightened enough, it can result in your child slipping out during an accident. With bulky clothing, this risk is increased even further by the added motion introduced. The fit of the harness is important for keeping a child safely within their seat.

Practice the "pinch test" to make sure that your harness is tightened. You should not be able to pinch any extra webbing at the shoulder of the child. So while it might seem like a no-brainer, this one little test can mean the difference between keeping your kid safe or not.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT WINTER GEAR

Selecting the proper winter travel clothes for your child can be a delicate balance of warmth and safety. Thankfully, there are a number of great ways to help your child stay warm without sacrificing car seat safety.

Opting for Thin Layers Instead of Bulky Coats

Dress the child in many thin layers instead of a few thick coats. Essentially this means you can keep your car at the perfect temp and still put pants on them while making sure their harnesses fit correctly! Thin layers are the way to go because you can stay plenty warm and not bulky.

For example, begin with a thermal layer that fits well, wear long sleeve shirt followed by fleece jacket. With this combination, you still keep your child warm and secure the harness. It can be tightened as safely as it needs to.

Blankets And Car Seat Covers

Car Seat Cover Up: Alternatively, you can use blankets and car seat covers which are designed to keep warm. After a child is buckled in, you can put the blanket over them. This method helps prevent the harness getting rucked up and keeps them warm.

Car seat covers specifically meant to go over the car seat, and not underneath a harness are also safe. They function as a blanket to keep him warm while ensuring his harness doesn't become too loose. Always make sure that any covering, whether you're using a car seat or the straps in your toddler's stroller can still be used.

Pre-Warning Your Car

During winter trips, pre-warming your car can be the difference between a happy child and an unhappy one. A hot car means no bulky clothes and a more pleasant ride for all involved. Warm up the inside of your car for a few minutes will give the heater time to make it all warm. Such a small change can help your child feel so much more comfortable. Run the car for a couple of minutes before travel. Check that the car heater maintains a comfortable car temperature but not too hot.

Why It is Important to Have Right Car Temperature?

Keeping your child nice and calm during winter travel requires a comfortable car temperature. This creates security and gives a positive feeling for everyone in the car. More importantly, a cosy environment eliminates the distraction of driving with a cold and unhappy baby.

Here are my last words on winter car seat safety:

It is a little extra effort to stay safe considering the cold weather, but it gives peace of mind.

A friendly reminder here, the secret to a smooth winter trip is plan ahead. Wearing the appropriate clothes and accessories, keeping your car within a comfortable temperature range — whatever you do helps in making it possible to take that one step closer toward that safer, more convenient ride. Take some of these into account and you will be able to face winter weather car seat safety with strength!