Still, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says fewer than 7 percent of the 20 million U.S. children ages 4 to 8 are riding in booster seats. That's a frightening statistic when you consider that more than 500 children in this age group are killed in car accidents each year, and thousands more are injured. Safety experts say many of the deaths and injuries could be prevented by the proper use of booster seats.

Understanding the Necessity
When children wear adult safety belts too soon, their internal organs can be injured if the belts ride up and slice into their stomachs in a crash. If shoulder belts are put behind their backs, their torsos can jackknife forward, increasing the chance of head and abdominal injuries. More than 80 percent of 4- to 8-year-old passengers in 30,000 car crashes studied by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance were improperly restrained in adult-size safety belts. And the results were often tragic.

Autumn Alexander Skeen lost her 4-year-old son in a crash when an adult seat belt failed to keep him inside the car. Skeen is now a spokeswoman for Ford Motor Company's educational campaign promoting booster-seat use. "No parent should ever know the pain of losing a child, especially if death or injury is easily preventable," Skeen says.

A Simple Solution
Booster seats raise children up off the seat to position them in adult belts properly. These special seats are recommended for kids who weigh 40 to 80 pounds and are intended for use in the back seat of vehicles that have three-point lap/shoulder belts. (Remember, children younger than 13 should never ride up front in a car that has front air bags.) Children can usually safely use adult belts in the back seat once they reach a height of four feet nine inches and weigh 80 pounds.

Booster seats are available at many major department stores and at Web sites and superstores that carry children's products. Your vehicle's manufacturer or your insurance company may also be able to make suggestions about where to buy a booster seat in your neighborhood. Some insurance and car companies even have special programs that offer the seats for free or at a discount.

ClubMom's AutoPro, Jayne O'Donnell, is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter (and new mom!) whose automotive expertise and investigative reporting skills have helped break some of the biggest auto-safety stories of the past several years.