Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of kids between 1 to 14 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some car accidents are not survivable, but over 57% of the deaths in children 0 to 15 years of age was due to the children not being restrained in a seatbelt or carseat. Other children died in car accidents because they were improperly restrained. In most areas over 80% of the people, misuse their child safety seats, while in other areas this number is as high as 95%. What you need to know is that properly using a carseat and a booster seat can save your child's life. It has been shown that using an infant carseat reduces fatal injuries by 71%, while properly using a toddler carseat can reduce fatal injuries by 54%.

Here are ten basic rules that you need to follow to make sure that your children are safe in the car at all times.

Rule one:
Children 12 and under should always ride in the back seat, never in the front seat. Riding in the back seat can reduce their risk of death by 36%.

Rule two:
Children should be in either a carseat or booster seat until they can be properly seated in a seatbelt. For most kids this is until they are 8 years old or 4'9" tall, the most important factor should be proper seatbelt fit.

Rule three:
If there is an active frontal airbag in your vehicle, do not place a rear-facing carseat in the front seat. This can cause serious injury or even death if the air bag deploys.

Rule four:
Keep your baby in a rear-facing carseat as long as possible. Some toddler carseats can also be used for infants in the rear-facing position. Depending on the car seat, you should keep them rear facing until they are 30, 33, or 35 pounds. The only time you should face them forward before they reach the weight limit is if they outgrow the car seat by height first.

Rule five:
Choose a car seat that is going to fit the best for your child, vehicle, and your budget. The good news is that all car seats that are currently sold in retail stores pass government safety standards, so you can find the perfect one for your needs. You want to pay close attention to the car seats because some models have different features. Select the one that has the features that you need, but will also allow you to use the car seat correctly every trip.

Rule six:
Read the owners manuals for both your car and the car seat that you buy thoroughly. The reason for this is that each manual is going to contain specific information about car seat installation that might not be obvious; there are models out there that vary from what you would expect for a standard installation.

Rule seven:
Ensure that the harness fits snugly on your child, you should be able to place one finger between the harness and your child, but there should be no more room than that. You also want the carseat fitted snugly in your vehicle, and make sure that the seatbelts are locked properly. Properly locked seatbelts will prevent the carseat from moving or sliding.

Rule eight:
When buying a carseat check to see that the store that you bought it from has a good return policy. This is necessary just in case you find that the carseat does not fit properly in your car, or if you discover that, you do not like the carseat. To ensure that your carseat fits properly you can have it inspected by a certified technician free at a checkup event or fitting station.

Rule nine:
Watch out when purchasing a used carseat or even using a used carseat. You want to avoid using a carseat that is over six years old, shows any forms of cracks or damages, missing labels, model number, manufacturing date, instructions, or parts. You also want to be leery of using used carseats because you do not know their history so it may have been in a car accident. Car seats that have been involved in a car accident should be replaced immediately.

Rule ten:
Make sure that you give all of your complete and unimpaired attention to your driving and always wear your seatbelt. This will help protect you and your passengers from injury or death.

In addition to following those rules, the most important thing that you can do to ensure that your child is safe inside your vehicle is to choose the appropriate carseat for your child. This is an important decision for you because there is no single carseat that is right for every child or for every vehicle.

Your best starting point for buying the correct carseat for your child and your vehicle is specific recommendations from websites about carseat safety or from friends and family members. Just keep in mind that everybody has his or her own personal preferences so what somebody else considers being the best carseat, you might not like at all. The best thing that you can do is to determine what type of carseat you need, and then do some shopping to find the best deal on the carseat that you want.

Before deciding on the carseat that you are buying, you will want to look at your vehicle to see what kind of a carseat will work with your vehicle. Many newer vehicles are equipped with Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH). This system can be used for carseat installation in place of seatbelts. Only four models of carseats offer what is called rigid LATCH attachments, which makes the installation of your carseat fast and easy, and it offers additional protection in side impacts.

Here are the types of carseats that are available for you to choose from and their individual features.

o Infant carseats and carriers

• Use as a rear-facing carseat only, most models are up to 20 pounds, but some go higher
• Find a 5-point harness model. Keep chest clip at armpit level, not on the neck or stomach
• Strap slots for the harness should be at or below the shoulders
• Front adjusters are nice because it makes tightening the harness easier
• Newborns and infants should only have a maximum of a 45 degree recline
• Built-in angle indicators and adjusters can help you get the correct recline of the carseat
• Different manufacturers have different recommendations on where the handle should be while driving. Read the instruction manual to learn if it should be up or down in the vehicle.
• For improved safety look for some models that offer a rear-facing tether, rebound bar and impact foam
• These seats might fit newborns better than a convertible model
• Some models offer a stroller and base system, while others only include the base that installs in the car

o Convertible carseats

• Pick a model with a 30, 33, or 35 pound rear-facing weight limit and then keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible because rear-facing is best.
• Turn your child to a front facing carseat if they have reached the maximum weight limit for the rear-facing position or if the top of their head is within an inch of the top of the shell
• 5-point harnesses and front harness adjusters are preferred because they are safer and make for easy tightening of the harness.
• Harness straps should be kept at or below the shoulders for rear-facing. For front-facing they should be at or above the shoulders
• Check the manual to see if you are required to use TOP slots while front-facing
• Chest clip should be kept at armpit level, not at the neck or stomach
• Use the correct seatbelt path or LATCH hooks for front-facing or rear-facing
• While rear-facing a 45 degree recline should be used for newborns and young infants, older babies can have less of a recline because they have good head support
• For front-facing no recline is best
• Some models have tethers that can be used for rear-facing and impact foam for added safety. Others have built-in locking clips for convenience

o Combination carseats

• Use the internal harness front-facing for as long as possible, consult the manual for the maximum limits
• 5-point harness and front harness adjuster are best
• Chest clip should be kept at armpit level, not at the neck or the stomach
• Once your child has reached the weight limit of the harness or if their shoulders are above the top harness slots, remove the harness and use the seat as a booster seat with the lap and shoulder belt
• Shoulder belt should cross the center of the shoulder and chest, the lap belt should ride high on the thighs or low on the hips
• If shoulder belt doesn't fit correctly use the shoulder belt guide that is built-in. Some shoulder belt guides can catch the seatbelt and leave slack in the seatbelt. Make sure that the belt is tight at all times
• Look for high, top harness slots so that you can use the carseat for taller children who do not yet weigh 40 pounds

o Booster carseats

• Best used for children who are over 40 pounds
• Use until your child has passed the manufacturer's weight limit or until your child can wear a seatbelt properly
• Shoulder belt should cross the center of the shoulder and chest, not the neck
• Lap belt should be high on the thighs or low on the hips, not across the stomach
• If your car has low seat backs with no headrests you will want to use a high back booster seat, if you have headrests or if there is a lot of growing room from the top of your child's ears to the top of the seat back you can use a backless booster seat
• Open loop shoulder belt guides are featured on some models which prevents the seatbelt from catching
• Some models offer adjustable head supports and extra padding for added comfort