Warning Massachusetts: Basic Clothing Item Can Kill Kids in Cars

I was recently listening to a radio station in Amherst, Massachusetts and heard that you are not supposed to bundle children in winter coats when riding in a car seat. I thought that was interesting. Then, when my wife, daughter, and I went shopping in Lenox recently I was told by my wife not to secure my daughter in her car seat while wearing her winter jacket. What's going on here? It's winter, kids need to wear their coats when riding in the car to stay warm, right? Not exactly.

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Contrary to popular belief children shouldn't be wearing winter coats when sitting in a car seat specifically if the coat is bulky. According to consumer reports as a general rule, winter coats should not be worn underneath a car seat harness because that can leave the harness too loose to be effective in a crash. As a result, children could and have been ejected from their car seats which can lead to serious injuries even death.

The best thing you can do to prevent your child from becoming injured is to secure the child in the car seat with no jacket and then use the jacket as a blanket or just use a regular blanket to keep the child warm. It makes a world of difference. Consumer Reports has additional tips and suggestions for making sure your child is secure in the car seat including the pinch test which you can view in the video below. Make sure your kids stay warm and safe when traveling during the cold weather months.