RICHMOND, Va -- An overwhelming majority of parents are not using booster seats correctly, according to a new report.
According to a survey by Safe Kids Worldwide, an organization focused on preventing childhood injuries, nine out of ten parents stop using booster seats too soon. In addition, seven out of ten parents do not know how tall their child should be to transition from a booster seat to a seat belt. The right height is 57 inches tall.
The organization's leaders say parents may be under the impression that age is the indicatorx to use when deciding to make the transition, when, in fact, height and weight should be checked.
Booster seat recommendations include double-checking the car's seat label to ensure it's appropriate for a child's age, weight and height, as well as shaking the seat at the base to make sure it's secure. It should also be facing the right direction -- rear-facing for children about two years old and younger, and forward for children older than two years.
An additional statistic released by the organization: one out of four parents surveyed said they do not buckle up their child on every single car ride.
