LITITZ BOROUGH - As the cold winter temperatures arrive, parents bring out their child's bulky winter coats to keep children warm during vehicle travel.  However, thick winter coats can reduce the safety of the child's car seat.  All coats and clothing will compress in a crash, but thicker winter coats can compress enough to create significant slack in the harness. The car seat harness keeps the child secure in the car seat and must be snug on the child's body to provide the best protection in a crash.

Here are some steps you can use to determine if the child's coat is too bulky and not safe to use under the harness while traveling in the car:

• Put the coat on the child and secure the child in the car seat. Fasten and adjust the harness to snugly fit the child.  A snug harness does not allow the webbing to be folded between your thumb and forefinger when pinched at the shoulder.
• Without loosening the harness, unbuckle and remove the child from the car seat.
• Remove the coat and place the child back in the car seat.  Buckle the harness straps.  If you can pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger, the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness.

When a child's winter coat cannot be safely worn under the harness in the car seat, here are some tips to keep the child safe and warm during travel:

• Infants - dress the child in warm clothing and buckle them in the car seat.  Place a blanket over the child to keep them warm.
• For older children - secure the child in the car seat, turn their coat around and put it on backwards with their arms through the sleeves and the back of the coat acting like a blanket.
• If possible, safely warm up the car before children are secured in the vehicle.
• Select a winter coat that is warm but is not bulky and allows the harness to correctly fit the child.. 

A COVID-19 cautious car seat check may be available by appointment.  Please email SafeKids@LititzPD.org to schedule your appointment.

Click here for PennDOT's Winter Safety Tips for Children.

Media contact: Media@LititzPD.org