BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – We have tips to make sure your child’s seat belt is keeping them out of harm’s way.
A puffy jacket keeps you toasty outside, but experts say they can be dangerous when worn inside the car – especially for your littlest passengers.
On a cold day, a warm jacket is a no-brainer for people big and small.
“We have Kennedy here and she’s about nine months old,” said Stephanie Busch, Vermont’s Injury Prevention Program manager.
In her winter coat, Kennedy is cozy – but Busch sees a hidden danger.
“With the straps, you want to check what we call pinch test, so we would just pinch right here. As you can see, the webbing is pretty firm so it looks like right now she is safe. We’re going to find out if she is or not,” said Busch.
Once the jacket comes off, the once firm strap hangs loosely on Kennedy’s little body.
“You can see just how much slack we have,” said Busch.
Nationwide, over 1,300 people are killed and nearly 117,000 people injured in car crashes due to poor winter road conditions every year.
Passengers in winter coats, especially little riders, can get hurt during an accident when their jacket compresses and straps lose their grip.
“She could slip right out of this,” said Busch.
To stay warm, Kennedy wears a blanket or her winter jacket across her legs.
“We wanna make sure that our kids are warm and they are also safe,” said Busch.
That’s advice we can all take for safe driving this winter.
In addition to winter coat smarts, make sure your child is in a secure car seat that’s right for their size. You can do that by making an appointment for a free car seat inspection at a location near you.