Photo: Today.com
Many parents believe it’s too much of a hassle or unnecessary to remove their kid’s winter coat before strapping them in the carseat, especially if the drive is not long or they have to spend more time outside.
In fact, this can prove fatal to the child in case of an accident, authorities warn. This isn’t exactly news, but it’s a topic that emerges at the start of each cold season, because there still are parents who remain immune to the warnings. The worst part is that they’re doing at their kid’s expense.
Jared Guhl, a firefighter at the Henrietta Fire District, New York, for instance, believed that strapping her daughter in with a coat meant that she had an extra layer of protection in case of an accident. Plus, if he didn’t have the time to properly warm up the car, this meant she wouldn’t be crying of cold, he tells ABC affiliate WHAM13.
Now, he knows that he was putting his daughter’s life at risk. The puffiness of the winter coat adds more space between the child’s body and the straps, which means the body can easily slip out of the restraints in case of an accident.
“It can be as extreme as being fatal,” Tim Lewis, a firefighter at the Henrietta Fire District, tells the same publication. “We’ve had a nasty crash on West Henrietta Road, a three-year-old got very injured. Broke both of her femurs from not being properly installed in the car seat.”
Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician with UR Medicine's Golisano Children’s Hospital, notes that the fact that the child slips from the carseat alone can cause injuries. Toddlers’ heads are disproportionate to the rest of their body, and any sudden movement can cause head or neck injuries.
Ideally, once a child is safely strapped in (you should be able to fit a finger between the strap and the child, no more), you can keep him or her warm by throwing a blanket over or even the puffy coat.
Jared Guhl, a firefighter at the Henrietta Fire District, New York, for instance, believed that strapping her daughter in with a coat meant that she had an extra layer of protection in case of an accident. Plus, if he didn’t have the time to properly warm up the car, this meant she wouldn’t be crying of cold, he tells ABC affiliate WHAM13.
Now, he knows that he was putting his daughter’s life at risk. The puffiness of the winter coat adds more space between the child’s body and the straps, which means the body can easily slip out of the restraints in case of an accident.
“It can be as extreme as being fatal,” Tim Lewis, a firefighter at the Henrietta Fire District, tells the same publication. “We’ve had a nasty crash on West Henrietta Road, a three-year-old got very injured. Broke both of her femurs from not being properly installed in the car seat.”
Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician with UR Medicine's Golisano Children’s Hospital, notes that the fact that the child slips from the carseat alone can cause injuries. Toddlers’ heads are disproportionate to the rest of their body, and any sudden movement can cause head or neck injuries.
Ideally, once a child is safely strapped in (you should be able to fit a finger between the strap and the child, no more), you can keep him or her warm by throwing a blanket over or even the puffy coat.
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