New research shows parents change their child’s car seat too early

METRO DETROIT (WXYZ) — This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week and parents have a new safety warning. Many parents may be taking their children out of car seats too early, according to a new study.

According to a study conducted by researchers at Ohio State University and Safe Kids Worldwide, four out of five parents took their child out of the booster seat before he or she was big enough.

So which seat should you use?

Children should remain in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible. This applies to almost all children under two years of age.

Many forward-facing safety seats with a belt can support children weighing up to 27 kg or more.

The next step is a booster seat with a belt guide, which you should use until the vehicle's lap and shoulder belts fit properly: this is generally the case when the children are at least 1.45 m tall.

When used properly, child seats, booster seats and seat belts protect young passengers. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, child restraints reduce deaths among infants under one year of age by 71 percent and among children ages 1 to 4 by 54 percent.

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS REPORT FROM 2020: How to keep your kids safe in the car

How to keep your children safe in the car

For more information on purchasing a car seat for your child, see the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration's guide at this link.