Press Release: Winter tempts children to "dress up properly" in the car. However, thick jackets and overalls can significantly reduce a child's safety in a car seat. Ivan Ščepka, safety specialist at CYBEX, explains why dressing in winter in the car is risky, how to properly strap your child in, and what to really consider when choosing a car seat.
Winter is the season of thick jackets and overalls. ProCan they be a problem in a car seat?
In the winter, parents have a natural tendency to "snuggle up" their child, but this is one of the biggest safety problems in a car seat. Thick jackets and overalls create a layer of air between the child's body and the seat belts. In a crash, this layer is immediately compressed and the belts loosen, even if they seemed tight before the ride. The child can then move around in the seat or even slip out, which significantly increases the risk of injury.
So how do you properly dress a child in the car so that they don't get cold and are safe at the same time?
The best solution is to dress your child in lighter layers that don't interfere with the seat belt tightening, such as bodysuits, sweatshirts, or lighter fleece jackets. Once your child is properly secured, you can cover them with a blanket or use a footmuff designed specifically for car seats. These accessories will keep them warm without interfering with the seat's safety system.
Do these rules also apply to shorter trips, perhaps just around town?
Certainly yes. Paradoxically, short trips are the riskiest, because parents often lose focus. Statistics have long shown that a large proportion of accidents occur just a few kilometres from home. Safety rules should therefore always apply, regardless of the length or "familiarity" of the route.
What other mistakes do parents make most often in winter?
In addition to thick clothing, it is often a hasty seating of the child, loose seat belts or a false sense of security. Cold, darkness and fatigue lead to parents wanting to be on their way as quickly as possible. But these small compromises can have major consequences in a crisis situation.
What role do innovations and technologies play in winter? Does CYBEX use any?
At CYBEX, we focus on making sure safety works reliably in all conditions. This means not only meeting but exceeding safety standards, rigorously testing in various types of impacts, and developing materials that retain their properties even in low temperatures. Safety must not be a seasonal issue.
What should parents consider when choosing a car seat, and what should they not focus on as much as they often think?
Parents should focus primarily on safety tests, compatibility with their car and the right size of the seat for their child. On the contrary, design, color or short-term trends should never be the main criteria. A car seat is primarily a safety feature, not just an addition to the car interior.
When you look at child safety over the long term, do you think anything has changed in how parents approach it?
I see a certain shift. Parents today are more concerned about safety and are actively interested in what to base their decisions on. At the same time, they are faced with a large amount of information that is often contradictory. This is why I think it is important to rely on independent safety tests, such as those by ADAC, and on clear recommendations from manufacturers. These sources give parents a solid basis on which to make decisions with greater certainty, and not just based on impressions or opinions from those around them.
