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When it’s very cold, you’re reluctant to take off your winter jacket to drive. But Jürg Reinhard (60), child seat expert and testing and mobility project manager at Touring Club Switzerland (TCS), says that wearing a thick down jacket behind the wheel is a bad idea. “A padded jacket prevents the seat belt from fitting tightly to the body.” This can have dangerous consequences in the event of an accident.
Due to the gap between the belt and the torso, in the event of emergency braking or impact the upper body is not caught directly by the belt, but instead moves forward by about four centimeters – depending on the padding of the jacket. . “The belt can cut into the upper body, so the risk of injury is greater than if the belt rests directly on the body,” says Reinhard. Depending on the severity of the impact, bruises may occur in the chest area or ribs may break, which may damage the organs in the chest.
Fatal consequences for young children
According to experts, wearing a winter jacket in the car poses a much greater risk for young children than for adults. “On the one hand, they do not yet have strong neck muscles, and on the other hand, they are not protected by the front airbag in the back seat.” Both factors can lead to serious head injuries if the child is thrown forward in the event of an emergency stop or collision and the seat belt is not fastened directly to the body. These findings come from crash tests that TCS has been conducting for years.
Another risk is that the child can take his arms out of the winter jacket under the child seat belt and can no longer be secured without the parents noticing. “For best protection, you should always remove the child’s winter jacket so that the belt is as close to the body as possible,” says Reinhard. This already applies to babies.
Finger test when tying babies
According to experts, some parents are afraid that the belt will restrict the baby and not tighten it enough. “If you can reach your fingers between the baby’s body and the belt, the belt is fitting correctly,” says Reinhard. To keep the child warm, you can cover him with a jacket or blanket over the lace-up belt.
According to Reinhard, parents should remember to properly restrain their children, especially on busy days. “Research shows that parents become careless when they deviate from the usual routine.” If you normally bring your child to nursery at 8.30am every morning and plans change due to an appointment one morning, you are more likely to forget to take off your child’s coat in excitement.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
