If you have young children, you will no doubt put them in an age-appropriate car seat when you take them anywhere in the car. This is something you will do year-round, whatever the weather.
A recent report has highlighted that in many cases, the same seat ends up being less effective in winter than in summer. Here is why.
Bulky clothes matter
For car seats to work optimally, the straps need to hold the children tightly in place. It’s why you often get kids complaining about their belt being uncomfortable – because parents know they can’t leave it as loose as the child might like.
The correct tightness reduces the amount they will move in the event of a collision, and less movement reduces the chance of injury. If you put your child in their seat all togged up for winter, then you reduce the effectiveness of their seat’s ability to protect them.
Winter clothing can be bulky, but if you squeeze it, it will compress down. This is what would happen if the child’s seat harness were ever called into play. The force of a collision or even very hard braking will throw them forward against their harness.
If they are only wearing a thin layer, such as they might in summer, there will not be much give in the system, so the harness will hold them in place. But if they are wearing thicker clothing, the belt will compress the clothing momentarily, creating space in which the child’s body can move. That extra movement increases the chance of injury in a crash.
The NHTSA recommends parents remove the child’s outer layer to solve this. While it will mean a bit more hassle, getting your child dressed and undressed each time you enter or exit the vehicle, it’s a price worth paying.