We take every precaution when it comes to our children. We read everything we can about preparing for our new arrivals while we are expecting. Their cribs meet the toughest standards, their strollers are top of the line, we choose mild detergents and the softest clothing, and we are extra particular about which car seat we choose.

From the moment our little one rides in a car for the first time we feel good that we have them securely strapped into their car seats. We know to face our newborns towards the rear of the car, in the back seat, and away from airbags. We drive along confidently that our baby is safely restrained incase of an accident.

Many parents do have their children strapped into their car seats properly. Their children are as safe as they can be while riding in a vehicle. However, these parents are not in the majority. A research note, published by the NHTSA in March 2005, suggests that almost three quarters of all children are improperly restrained in their safety seats, most unbeknownst to their parents. This is a disturbing statistic, but one easily overcome with awareness. Many child restraint seat errors are easy to correct when the time is taken to double and triple check the instillation of our children’s car seats.

Infant seats seem to show a high amount of misuse. Common mistakes parents make are not having the car seat fastened into the car securely, positioning the chest clip is in the wrong position, or keeping straps loose or twisted. Always check to make sure that Baby’s seat has not accidentally become unbuckled and check to make sure there is no wiggle room between the child restraint and the seat. This can be tightened up by sitting or kneeling in the seat (without Baby in it, of course) while you pull seat belt strap tight. When buckling Baby in to his seat be sure to double check that you have the chest clip on Baby’s chest, not his abdomen. Also, check the straps for twists and obstructions like toys or blankets that may make tightening his straps properly impossible. The car seat straps should lay flat and even and be pulled snug, but not too tight. Use the two finger rule to check for snugness. You should be able to fit two fingers between the straps and Baby’s chest. Any more than this is a sign that Baby’s straps are too loose.

Another very common mistake is buckling an swaddled infant into a car seat. We feel the need to keep our baby warm while we are traveling but in doing this we often unconsciously sacrifice their safety. Bundling our baby in a multitude of blankets before strapping them into the car seat is not safe. It can prohibit us from properly restraining our children and be cause for undue injury or death in the event of an accident.

This does not have to be the case. New products on the market can help you to keep your baby warm while he is buckled safely into his car seat. A car seat cover will keep your baby cozy and warm while at the same time make it possible to keep your child buckled in safely. Many car seat covers have zippers to allow easy access to Baby’s seat belt and to allow air flow to prevent Baby from over heating.

Next time you take your baby on an outing be sure to take your time, check that his car seat or base is buckled and check to be sure he is properly fastened into his restraint. Slow down because your baby’s safety is imperative. He is completely dependent on you so you must be dependable and do everything you can to ensure your baby is safe and secure.