Seat belts are not designed for children. Young children are too small for seat belts and too large for toddler seats. A booster seat raises your child up so that the seat belt fits right—and can better protect your child. The sholder belt should cross the child's chest and rest snugly on the shoulder, and the lap belt should rest low across the pelvis or hip area—never across the stomach area. Your child's ears shouldn't be higher than the vehicle's seat back cushion or the back of a high-back booster seat.

Need help with your booster seat? Visit a child safety seat inspection station or a certified child passenger safety technician near you. To find one, go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps and click on the Child Safety Seat Inspections button or all 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

More than 40% of children under eight who die or suffer incapacitating injuries in fatal crashes are completely unrestrained. (NHTSA)

For more information about booster seats
and other child passenger safety issues,
go to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site at:
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps
or call NHTSA's toll-free hotline at
1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).