It’s that time of the year where it’s getting colder and colder each day, causing us to break out the heavy winter jackets and snow suits. As parents and caregivers we want to keep our little ones warm, so we bundle them up in thick outerwear to defend them from the harsh winters.

While the coats and snowsuits will keep your children warm, it can also interfere with the proper harness fit of the child in their car seat. The St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program would like you to help you understand the dangers of a coat under a child safety seat harness straps.

Wearing bulky clothes or winter coats can prevent a snug fit of the harness. You may think your child is secured in properly when in fact the harness is not tight enough.

“During a crash all the material of the bulky winter coat will compress making the harness straps loose on the child. Thus, possibly making the child slip through the straps and come out of the child restraint and as a general rule, winter coats should never be worn underneath a car seat harness,” said Carrie Conger, of St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety.

Most car seat technicians would recommend not putting anything thicker than a sweatshirt on your child.

So how do I know if my child is wearing the proper clothing with the harness? Do a quick test to see if the straps to your car seat are holding the child while their coat is on. Here’s how to do so:

Step 1: Put the coat on your child. With the coat on, put them in the car seat, and fasten the harness. Tighten the harness until you can no longer pinch any of the webbing with your thumb and forefinger.

Step 2: Without loosening the harness at all, unhook it and remove your child from the car seat. Take the coat off, put your child back in the car seat, and buckle the harness straps, which should be adjusted just as they were when the child was wearing the coat.

If you can pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger now, then the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness. In the case your coat is too big, use a blanket, or turn your child’s coat around and have them wear it backwards to still keep them warm while in the car. Failing to remove your child's winter coat before strapping them into their car seat could put them at serious risk of injury or even death.

It is also noted to be cautious of the car seat covers that go inside the infant car seat, as they also can add extra padding and make the harness straps not secure enough. If you choose to use one, find one that does not interfere with the harness straps, or go behind the child.

If you are still uncertain about the safety of your child, you can contact Carrie Conger at the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program in Canton at 315-386-2207 or cconger@stlawco.org for more information about child passenger safety or to schedule a car seat check.

St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.