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Cold Weather Car Seat Safety

When the temperatures drop, we want to make sure we keep our little ones warm. We layer up their warmest clothes, extra cozy socks, cute little mittens, and of course, their coat that we always zip up. However, if you are putting your little one in your car, it’s important to take their coat off before strapping them into their car seat.  While this may sound crazy considering how cold winter temperatures can feel and inside your car is even colder, but taking off a child’s coat before they climb into their car seat is a matter of safety.

Safety experts say, winter coats can leave the car set harness too loose and will not secure the child into their car seat. So if you are in a crash, the harness will not be effective and the baby will not be protected.

Since we all want to keep our little ones safe, here’s how we can also keep them warm while in the car:

  • Hats, gloves, and warm socks are all great to keep your baby warm. So put these on before you leave the house. You can also keep an extra set in the car in case temperatures drop once you are out and about.
  • If you are home, give your car a few minutes to warm up before piling your kids into the car. This way it will take a bit of the chill off before you start driving.
  • For babies, wrap a warm blanket around them once they are buckled into the car seat. For infants, make sure the blanket doesn’t go over their face.
  • For older kids, once secured in their seat, have them put their coat on backwards. So arms through the arm holes and the back of the coat is on their chest and stomach.
  • Break out the gloves, hats and warm socks or booties. You can even leave these in your car so you never forget to have these extras on hand.
  • Dress your child in a warm fleece coat that is form fitting for the car and put their puffy coat on when they get out of the car

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