"When you graduate a child to a different car seat or booster too soon, the child loses safety features and is exposed to greater risks and injuries," Aguilar explains. "For example, a child using a harness will be safer than a child using a seatbelt during a car crash if they're within the height and weight limit set by the car seat manufacturer."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, proper car seat usage decreases the risk of fatal injury by 71% among infants and 54% among toddlers during a crash.

Last year, 78% of car seats inspected by safety technicians were not being used correctly, according to the Child Passenger Safety Board.

UTICA, N.Y. — National Car Seat Check Day is this Saturday, September 21, and Onieda County wants you to be safe. The Oneida County Health Department will be providing free car seat safety checks at the Oneida County Public Market on September 21.

Most parents are placing their kids in harms' way by moving them out of their car booster seat too soon, a new study warns.