(COLORADO)—With the winter months in full swing, parents are being reminded of the proper ways to keep their children safe and warm in their car seats, along with some of the new child passenger safety laws that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Car Seats Colorado said that while bundling your child up on a freezing day may seem like the best solution, however, putting them in a car seat with a puffy jacket may actually do more harm than good. Car Seats Colorado had the following tips for parents on how to test whether a coat is too bulky. How to test if a coat is too bulky Put the coat on your child and buckle them into the car seat. Tighten the harness until it passes the "pinch test" — you shouldn’t be able to pinch any excess strap between your thumb and forefinger. Without loosening the harness, remove your child from the seat. Take off their coat, then buckle them back into the seat with the same harness setting. Perform the pinch test again. If you can pinch excess strap, the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness. Car Seats Colorado listed several other options to keep children safe and warm in their car seats. Alternatives to jackets in car seats For infants and smaller children: Place a blanket over the child after buckling them into the car seat. Avoid covering the entire car seat, as this can restrict airflow and lead to carbon dioxide poisoning. Courtesy: NHTSA Courtesy: NHTSA For toddlers and older children: Buckle the child into their harness, then turn their coat around and put their arms through the sleeves backward to keep warm. Be cautious of overheating: With blankets and the car heater, babies can quickly overheat. Monitor your child’s temperature and adjust as needed. Courtesy: NHTSA Courtesy: NHTSA The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) also shared several updates to Colorado's Child Passenger Safety Law. Updates to Colorado Child Passenger Safety Law Children must now remain in a booster seat until they are 9 years old, (previously 8 years old). Children under 2 years old and weighing less than 40 pounds must be in a rear-facing car seat, (previously 1 year old and under 20 pounds). All children under 18 years old must be in some form of restraint, whether it’s a car seat or seat belt, (previously 16 years old).  For more information on the new laws that went into effect on Jan. 1, click the link above.