Transcript: Most parents know that car seats are important, yet 80 percent don’t use them properly! Here’s help. The easiest way to ensure that your child stays safe in the car is to use the right seat for his age and weight, and to face him the correct way. Infants need to sit facing backwards until they reach one year. After they have passed their first birthday AND weigh over twenty pounds, toddlers can graduate to a forward-facing car seat. Children over forty pounds should ride in what’s known as a belt positioning booster seat. It’s wise to keep kids out of “normal” seat belts until they are about eighty pounds. Your child won’t be ready for a regular belt until the shoulder strap sits on his shoulder, not the neck, and the lap belt rests in his lap, not the tummy. Remember, too, that all kids under twelve should sit in the backseat. Follow these guidelines to ensure that every road trip is a safe one.