On Saturday, the front page of the Daily Telegraph's motoring section showed a full page picture of five babies in car seats. Every single one of them was strapped in while wearing a thick coat or snowsuit. Ironically the headline is: Safety First - Erin Baker tests the best ways to carry babies in cars.
The picture was probably just a quick photo shoot to illustrate the article - but surely if you're a national newspaper telling parents how to transport their children safely, then the picture should reflect the correct way to do it? I wish there was a way to post a pic to show it.
I know that lots of parents aren't aware that putting a child in a thick coat in a car seat is a safety hazard (I was one of them) but I find it shocking that an article in a national newspaper on car seat safety would show babies dressed this way. Most car seat manufacturers say not to put a baby in thick clothing in a car seat. I would have thought an article on this subject would be better researched.
In case you don't know why it's unsafe to put a baby in a thick coat in a car seat, it's because the coat compresses in an accident making the straps too lose, which means the baby can fly out.
You can try it at home by putting your baby in their car seat in a thick coat and tighten the straps as tight as you can. Then take the baby out without adjusting the straps, take off the coat and put the baby back in the car seat and do up the straps. If you can fit more than two fingers between their strap and shoulder, you know the coat is too thick.
Why is this such an unknown hazard in the UK? It's common knowledge in the US.