Catherine Hiles
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4 Tips for Winter Child Car Seat Safety

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child in winter clothing playing in the snow

A properly installed car seat can help keep your child safer on the road. But in the colder months, there are a few easy mistakes you might make to decrease the effectiveness of the car seat in a collision. Here are some tips to help keep your child warm in the winter without compromising their safety.


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Avoid bulky clothing

As temperatures begin to fall, out come the sweaters and bulky winter coats. While these items of clothing help keep us warm and snug all winter long, they can actually be hazardous to your child when strapped into a car seat.

That’s because the padding from a winter coat will flatten when your child is thrown forward during a crash, leaving extra room between the child and the straps. That could result in your child slipping out of the car seat through the straps and being thrown from the seat. As you can imagine, this could mean serious injury and could even prove fatal.

While winter coats or jackets will keep your child warm in the car, they aren’t worth risking your child’s life. Instead, strap the child into the seat coatless and put a blanket over the seat to keep them warm. You could even use the coat over the straps, having your child put their arms through the sleeves with the coat facing backward and acting like a blanket.

Opt for thin layers

Another way to keep your child warm with no bulk is to dress them in thin layers before strapping them into their car seat. Thin layers help trap warm air between each article of clothing, which results in keeping your child warmer while wicking away moisture.

On extra cold days, start with a thermal layer under a thin sweater and pants. Then, put your child’s coat or their blanket over them once strapped in to keep them snug and warm while you drive.

Accessorize

A coat isn’t the only thing that can keep your child warm. A winter hat, thick socks, and gloves or mittens can help regular their body temperature on cold drives. And these accessories won’t affect the car seat’s performance in a crash, so you can go as bulky and thick as you want without risking your child’s safety.

Avoid add-ons

Some manufacturers make car seat accessories that claim to keep your child more comfortable or make it easier to see them when they are rear facing. But unless the accessory came with your car seat when you bought it, it may not be safe and may actually hinder the seat’s effectiveness.

That’s because add-on accessories like car seat covers are not crash tested along with the car seat, so there is no way to say whether or not they are safe. Rather than buying add-ons that haven’t been proven to be safe, it’s better to dress your child in layers and place a loose blanket or coat over them to keep them warm in the winter.

Staying safe in the car doesn’t mean your child has to be cold during the winter. Follow these tips to help ensure your child stays comfortable and warm without compromising the safety of their car seat.