Slide show: Car seat safety — age 4 and up

You brought your baby home from the hospital buckled in a rear-facing car seat. Later, your child graduated to a forward-facing seat. That one fit much longer. But what's next?

From ages 4 to 8 — and sometimes even longer — the answer is a booster seat. Check out this slide show to make sure your child is still buckled up in proper form.

Seat belts are designed for adults. A booster seat can help an adult seat belt fit your child correctly.

Not sure if your child is ready for a booster seat? Here's how you'll know:

• Your child has topped the height or weight limits of the current car seat.
• Your child's shoulders are above the car seat's harness slots.
• Your child's ears have reached the top of the car seat.

This is a combination car seat. It comes with a removable harness, allowing the seat to double as a belt-positioning booster seat.

Keep the harness clip at the level of your child's armpits, flatten twisted straps and make sure both sides are buckled. When your child outgrows the upper weight limit on the harness, remove the harness and use the vehicle's shoulder and lap belt instead.

Your child can ride safely in a combination car seat until he or she reaches the upper weight limit set by the manufacturer or the tops of your child's ears reach the top of the seat.

Look closely. Do you see the mistakes?

1. The strap is twisted.
2. The harness clip is too low.
3. The buckle isn't connected.

When your child is old enough to handle the buckling alone, make sure it's done correctly. Encourage your child to look for mistakes, and be sure to praise a job well done.

Booster seats also come in the backless variety, which allows an adult seat belt to fit safely across your child's body.

Backless booster seats are designed to keep the lap belt positioned over your child's hips and the shoulder belt positioned comfortably across the shoulder and chest. Your child must wear both the shoulder belt and the lap belt when using the booster seat.

If your vehicle doesn't offer a headrest to protect your child's head and neck in a crash, consider using a high-back booster that fits your child's height and weight.

Do you see the mistakes?

1. The shoulder belt is under the boy's arm rather than across his shoulder. His head and shoulders could be thrown forward in an accident, possibly causing an abdominal or spinal cord injury.
2. The lap belt is over his waist rather than his hips. If the car crashes, he's at risk of life-threatening injuries to the liver, spleen and major blood vessels.

Most kids look forward to graduating to an adult seat belt. But don't cave in to your child's desire to switch too soon. This child isn't ready for an adult seat belt. Can you point out the mistakes?

1. The shoulder belt is rubbing against his face and neck, rather than lying flat against the middle of his shoulder and across his chest.
2. The lap belt is lying across his waist rather than over his hips.

Use the booster seat until the adult seat belt fits correctly — when your child weighs at least 80 pounds or reaches a height of 4 feet 9 inches.

Most kids can safely use an adult seat belt between ages 8 and 12. Here's how you'll know that your child is ready:

• Your child weighs at least 80 pounds or reaches a height of 4 feet 9 inches.
• Your child sits against the back of the seat, with his or her knees bent comfortably at the edge of the seat. The lap belt rests flat across your child's hips, and the shoulder belt rests on your child's shoulder — not on the face or upper arm.
• Your child can remain seated like this for the entire trip.

It's easy to slouch when you're tired. But your child will need to sit up straight to protect himself or herself in an accident. Can you spot the other mistakes?

1. The shoulder belt is rubbing against her face and neck.
2. The lap belt is lying across her waist rather than high on her hips.

Kids may try something different when they're uncomfortable or bored. Do you see the mistakes?

1. Once again the girl is slouching. The discomfort of the shoulder belt rubbing against her face and neck has prompted her to place the shoulder belt under her arm.
2. The lap belt is still across her waist rather than across her hips.

Uh oh! The shoulder belt must really be uncomfortable. Do you see what she's done?

1. She's placed the shoulder strap behind her back.
2. Once again, the lap belt is lying across her waist rather than her hips.

Just as you did with the booster seat, teach your child the importance of proper buckling. In a crash, an improperly buckled seat belt may do serious harm — and following a few simple rules may save your child's life.

As your child gets older, you may be more likely to drive his or her friends as well. Even when it's crowded in the car, seat belt safety still rules. Allow for extra time to make sure each child is safely buckled in.

If you keep extra booster seats in your car for car pool day, buckle them in or store them in the trunk. Loose booster seats may hit someone inside the car if you're in an accident or come to a sudden stop.