I’m a first aid guru and we have a ‘no coats on in the car rule’ – here’s why it could save your child’s life
YOU should never buckle your child into a car seat while they’re wearing a jacket, first aid experts warn.
Coats and other bulky clothing could put children at risk of being thrown from the seat in a crash.
The outerwear creates a gap between kids and the harness, which can cause slack when the clothes compress.
In a video posted on Instagram, experts CPR Kids warned this can lead to serious injury if you are in an accident.
They said: “Large jackets, jumpers, and other winter clothing can add a large amount of bulk to an infant, creating a ‘buffer’ between the child and the harness straps.
“In the event of an accident, the clothing materials can compress, creating slack in the harness straps.
“This increases the risk of injury, and can even lead to little ones being thrown from their car seat.
“Car seats are designed to be tightly attached to the vehicle and the child attached tightly to the car seat, anything that interferes with that increases injury.”
Around 1,700 children aged up to 15 were killed or seriously injured in road accidents each year from 2019 to 2021 in England.
Under law, children should you a car seat until they’re 12 years old or 4ft 4 (135cm) — whichever comes first.
The NHS recommends you buy your baby a car seat before they are born, and make sure it fits your car.
In the video, CPR Kids show how slack seat belts can be if you buckle your child in with a jacket on.
An expert places the child in the seat and buckles the seat belt in around it.
They then take the child out, removes their jacket and puts them back in, with the seat belt set at the same tightness as when they were wearing the outerwear.
They slide their arm under the seat belt to show how loose it would have been if they were wearing the jacket, and tighten the belt to the child’s body.
They said: “Straps should always be tight enough so that they are unable to be pinched and gathered.”