Parents have been warned to avoid an innocent but potentially deadly mistake they could make when trying to keep their children warm this winter.
With the cold weather hitting the UK, it may seem obvious to wrap a child in as much warm clothing as possible.
But experts say one time to avoid this is when restraining a toddler or infant in a car seat.
While puffy clothing such as oversized coats, snowsuits, and hoodies may be comfortable, they could pose a hazard if you need to stop in an emergency.
Graham Conway, CEO of Select Car Leasing, said The Huffington Post Bulky clothing can make straps appear tighter than they really are.
He explained how if a driver needed to brake suddenly or the vehicle was hit This could cause the child to come loose from the seat, with potentially devastating consequences.
To avoid this, Conway advised parents to dress their children in thinner layers, such as a long-sleeved T-shirt and a fitted sweater.
He added that blankets can be used, but added that these should be placed over the straps once they are tight enough to avoid the same problems with bulky clothing.
While puffy clothing such as oversized coats, snowsuits, and hoodies may be cozy and comfortable, they could pose a danger to a child wearing them in a car seat. stock image
A Brake Safety report found that in 2023 23 children under the age of 15 died while traveling in a car and another 486 were seriously injured.
Conway also advised parents of young children to avoid giving them thick or heavy hats during car trips.
He warned that these hats can move during travel to cover the face of a baby or small child.
Not only could this distress them, but it could seriously restrict their breathing if the fallen hat ends up covering the child’s mouth and nose.
The warning comes as the UK experienced the coldest night of the winter season so far.
Some parts of the country are forecast to reach temperatures as low as -20°C tonight (-4°F) and soon frost, snow and ice will blanket the nation.
While many parents know the need to get a car seat that fits their child well, there are some little-known tips on how to use it safely.
One is that babies under one year old should only be in a car seat for a maximum of two hours at a time.
The warning comes as the UK experienced the coldest night of the winter season so far. Pictured: Members of the mountain rescue team in Derbyshire help a motorist amid dark conditions on Snake Pass on Thursday.
OXFORDSHIRE: A hard frost blanketed the countryside on Thursday after a very cold night in Dunsden.
This is due to research suggesting that young babies could be at risk of serious breathing difficulties if they sleep sitting up for too long.
Very young children lack muscles in the neck that allow them to hold their heads up, which increases the risk of suffocation.
Parents are advised to take frequent breaks and preferably have an adult ride in the back with a baby during the car ride.
If a sleeping baby changes position and slumps forward in the seat, parents and caregivers should stop driving and reposition the child to sit upright before continuing the trip.
Another clothing issue is ensuring that a baby placed in a car seat is not too warm, as this can increase the risk of potentially dangerous overheating.
The charity The Lullaby Trust warns that when babies are too hot they are at greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which kills around 200 babies a year in Britain.
SIDS is thought to occur when a baby struggles with environmental stress, such as heat, and is unable to regulate their heart rate, breathing, and temperature to compensate, which can cause them to not receive enough oxygen.
As such, parents are advised to remove most of their outer clothing before placing their baby in a car.
To check that a baby is not too hot, touch his stomach or the back of his neck.
If this skin feels damp or sweaty, it means you are too hot and should remove a layer of clothing.
Parents are also advised to always place a baby or child car seat in the back of the car and not in the passenger seat.
This is to avoid the risks posed by the passenger-side airbag, which if deployed in an accident, could deploy with enough force to hit the seat and cause injury or death.