Why You Should Not Wear Outerwear in the Car Seat

Our children's safety is our top priority in life. We at Little Peas contribute with safe rear-facing car seats, but to keep your child as safe as possible it's important that you, as a parent, ensure the car seat is installed correctly and also make sure your child sits properly and as safely as possible in the car seat.

Did you know that outerwear and car seats are a bad match? Outerwear does not belong in the car seat. Thick coats, overalls and padded jackets create a dangerous gap between the harness and your child's body, which means the belt doesn't sit as close to your child as it should. This outerwear causes inadequate belt tension on the child and in the event of a collision leads to a greater risk of injury from increased collision forces. Or even worse, with looser harness tightening due to the outerwear, there's a significant risk of your child slipping out of the harness entirely.

But I don't want my child to freeze when we drive!

We understand completely. Instead of having their outerwear on in the car seat, here are some safe alternatives to keep your child warm during the journey:

• Use a blanket - Place a regular blanket over your child on the outside of the harness and car seat, tucking it around them once they're safely strapped in.
• Dress in layers with fleece - A fleece jacket or gilet will keep them warm without creating dangerous air gaps between clothing and harness straps.
• Invest in a car seat footmuff - Use a footmuff specifically designed for car seat use that allows the harness to thread through. You fasten the child in the car seat first, then close the footmuff over them so it sits on the outside of the harness. Importantly, the footmuff should not make it more complicated to remove your child from the car seat in case of an emergency.

Unfortunately, many parents are unaware of the risks associated with outerwear in car seats and think removing coats is just too complicated and a hassle to do every time. The argument that you're only travelling a short distance and therefore don't need to worry about the outerwear isn't a good excuse either. An accident can occur at any time and even at low speeds, the impact forces can increase significantly with outerwear worn under the harness - an unnecessary risk for your child's safety.

The Simple Test

Not sure if your child's coat is too thick? Try this simple test: Buckle your child into their car seat wearing their coat as you normally would. Tighten the harness properly. Now unbuckle them, remove the coat, and buckle them back in without adjusting the harness. If you can pinch any slack in the harness straps at shoulder level, the coat is too thick for safe car travel.

Drive safely during the winter, avoid thick outerwear under the harness, and put coats back on when you've arrived safely at your destination.