Take your child's coat off before strapping them into their car seat

February 21, 2019, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Winter in Canada poses many challenges. Getting yourself and the family out the door some days is a herculean task. We often get to the car, strap the kids and ourselves in and sigh a breath of relief that things are going as they should.

"In a crash the harness holds your child in place to prevent injuries," says Katherine Hutka, president of the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada.

"Even when the straps are tight, if you add a layer of bulky padding between the child and the car seat straps, this padding can compress in the force of the crash, making the straps suddenly too loose and putting your child at risk of injuries or ejection."

Police throughout Canada and America want us to be aware that in the winter things may not be going as well as we think once we are in the car.

Wearing winter jackets and coats in the car can actually make car seats and seatbelts dangerous. Both devices are designed to protect you by sitting snug to your body. Once we add thick layers of fabric, padding, scarves, and sweaters the seatbelt doesn’t sit firmly on the torso or mid-section. This results in the body moving forward in the event of a collision.

Police suggest that children and infants be placed in their car seats or infant seats without their coats on, and a poncho or blanket be placed over their bodies to keep them warm.  You can also put the coat on them backwards after they are strapped in.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

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