Car seat manufacturer Cybex has issued a warning for parents using car seats this winter in a move which aims to reduce the possibility of accidents and injuries caused by cold weather clothing.
The consumer advice warns parents and carers that bundling up the kids to protect them from the cold in thick jackets, snow suits and anoraks can become a hazard when worn in a car seat.
A car seat safety harness needs to be secured as tightly as possible, but thick clothing causes the harness system to be positioned looser and further away from the child’s body.
Cybex also outlines four key principles that retailers should advise parents of in order to maximum security for the child.
Multi-layer principle: It is better to let the child wear several thin layers of clothing as this won’t affect the safety of the harness.
Back to front: Put the child’s coat on back to front and over the harnes so it can be removed easily when the car heats up.
Wrapped up: Use the child’s winter jacket as a cosy blanket.
Seat heating: Before setting out, use a hot water bottle or warmable cushionto slightly heat the seat.
Bernhard Kastner, child safety expert at Cybex, said: “Be it minus 10 degrees in the winter or 35 degrees in the summer, our car seats can be used with full confidence.”
