Dangers of winter coats and car seats

Near freezing weather presents so many problems for our pets, plants and pipes. One danger parents may not consider is winter coats in car seats.

Diana Suarez Martinez with Safe Kids Greater Houston says it’s not recommended that parents strap their kids into their car seats with their puffy coats on.

“It's suggested not to put the big heavy puffy coats on them because if we do most times we're not able to get the straps as snug as they need to be because the coat is so puffy,” she says.

On Houston’s Morning Show she demonstrated how the slack coats could create in car seat straps. She demonstrated by strapping a doll into the car seat with the coat on, tightening the straps, taking the coat off the child, strapping the child back in, and showing how much slack was left in the straps.

She suggests putting the child in the car seat without their coat and covering them with a blanket instead until the destination is reached.