Child safety is of the utmost concern for parents. Yet a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan found only a very small percentage of children are properly restrained in safety seats when riding in vehicles.

According to Guidelines for Child Passenger Safety issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2011, all children under 2 years of age should be placed in rear-facing seats. Past the age of 2, children should still use car seats until they exceed the maximum weight and height, and after that, kids should be placed in booster seats until the regular seat belt can be worn comfortably. Children should also be restricted to sitting in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old, according to the official guidelines.

However, the study found very few children are following these rules. Less than 2 percent are using booster seats past age 7, a number of children between 6 and 13 are allowed to sit in the front seat, and many youngsters between 1 and 2 do not sit in rear-facing safety seats.

"The most important finding from this study is that…overall few children are using the restraints recommended for their age group, and many children over five are sitting in the front seat," said study co-author Dr. Michelle L. Macy of the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan.

The proper safety restraint system is crucial for a child's safety on the road, and the car they are in plays a role as well. Parents in the market for cars can research the vehicles they're interested in to determine their safety ratings before making a choice. Once they have narrowed down their options, they can head over to NJ Auto Auction, which carries a wide variety of used makes and models. Plus, every vehicle on the lot is CARFAX certified, so drivers can leave the lot knowing they're behind the wheel of a reliable ride.