Warning to parents about common travel mistakes they make in cold weather that could cost a child’s life
Parents have been warned to avoid an innocent but potentially deadly mistake they could make as they try to keep their child warm this winter.
With the cold weather hitting Britain, it may seem obvious to wrap a child in as much warm clothing as possible.
But experts say this should be avoided at least once when strapping a young child or infant into a car seat.
While puffy clothes like oversized coats, snow suits and hoodies can be cozy, they can pose a hazard if you need to brake in an emergency.
Graham Conway, director of Select Car Leasing, explains The Huffington Post thick clothing can make the straps appear tighter than they actually are.
He explained how a driver had to brake or the vehicle would be hit This can cause a child to become dislodged from the seat, with potentially devastating consequences.
To prevent this, Mr Conway advised parents to dress their child in thinner layers, such as a long-sleeved shirt and a fitted sweater.
He added that blankets can be used, but added that these should be placed over the belts once they have been tightened enough to avoid the same problems with bulky clothing.
While puffy clothing such as oversized coats, snow suits and hoodies can be cozy and comfortable, they can pose a danger to a child wearing them in a car seat. Stock image
A report from road safety agency Brake shows that in 2023, 23 children under the age of 15 died while traveling in a car, with a further 486 seriously injured.
Mr Conway also advised parents of young children not to wear bulky or heavy hats on car journeys.
He warned that such headgear could move and obscure the face of a baby or young child while traveling.
This could not only upset them, but also severely restrict their breathing if the drooping hat ends up covering the child’s mouth and nose.
The warning comes as Britain experiences the coldest night of the winter season yet.
Some parts of the country are forecast to reach -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Celsius) this evening, with frost, snow and ice soon covering the country.
While many parents are aware of the need to purchase a properly fitting car seat for their child, there are some little-known tips on how to use it safely.
One of these is that babies under the age of one may be in a car seat for a maximum of two hours at a time.
The warning comes as Britain experiences its coldest night of the winter season yet. Pictured: Members of the Derbyshire Mountain Rescue team help a motorist amid whiteout conditions on the Snake Pass on Thursday
OXFORDSHIRE: A hard frost blanketed the countryside on Thursday after a bitterly cold night in Dunsden
This is due to research showing that young babies can be at risk of serious breathing difficulties if they sleep in a sitting position for too long.
Very young children lack the muscles in the neck that allow them to hold their heads up, increasing the risk of choking.
Parents are advised to take regular breaks and preferably have an adult sit in the back with a baby during a car journey.
If a sleeping baby changes position and slumps forward in the seat, parents and caregivers should stop driving and reposition the child so that they are sitting upright before continuing the journey.
Another clothing-related 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.
Charity The Lullaby Trust warns that when babies are too hot they are at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which kills around 200 babies a year in the UK.
SIDS is believed to occur when a baby struggles with environmental stress, such as heat, and is unable to regulate his heart rate, breathing and temperature to compensate, which can lead to him not getting enough oxygen.
Therefore, parents are advised to remove most outdoor clothing before placing a baby in the car.
To check whether a baby is not too warm, touch the belly or the back of the neck.
If this skin feels clammy or sweaty, it is too warm and a layer of clothing should be removed.
Parents are also advised to always place a baby or child car seat in the back of the car and not on the passenger seat.
This has been done to avoid the risks posed by the passenger side airbag, which, if deployed in an accident, could deploy with sufficient force to hit the seat and possibly cause injury or death.