Car seat belts are designed with adults in mind, which is why there are laws in place that require children to be placed in booster seats that keep them safer in the event of a crash. However, there is not one overarching federal law that dictates how long children should use these safety devices. Some states mandate that children should continue to use booster seats until they reach a certain height, while others employ an age-related restriction, allowing children to forego booster seats as early as age 6 in some places.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently recommended that all states should adopt stricter rules concerning child safety in vehicles. The recommendations were based on research which found states with laws that keep kids in booster seats until at least age 8 tend to see fewer child injuries and fatalities around car accidents than states with lower minimum age restrictions.

"Many states have booster seat laws. However, there are different requirements for how long the child should remain in the booster seat," said senior study author Dr. Lois K. Lee of the AAP. "Our analysis supports the fact that booster seat laws should follow AAP standards to optimally protect children when they are riding in a motor vehicle."

Age is not the only factor that comes into play with regards to child car safety, as a youngster's size is the main determining factor in whether they no longer need a car seat. According to the AAP, kids should be using safety seats until they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall.

Car seats are just part of the puzzle when it comes to keeping kids safe on the road. Driving a reliable vehicle can help reduce the risk of a crash in the first place, and NJ State Auto Auction has a wide selection of CARFAX certified, pre-owned models to choose from for families looking to get their next cars.