New crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are raising questions about the safety of child booster seats.
Following the tests, only 25 percent of the booster seats got a good or best rating from the Insurance Institute.
It's a jolting reminder that not all child booster seats provide the same protection.
Crash tests of 60 booster seats by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ended with 15 seats getting "good" or "best bet" ratings. Eleven booster seats are not recommended.
"Parents should avoid buying the 11 boosters on our not recommended list. These seats do not good provide belt fit," said Anne McCartt with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Click here for the full list of recommendations.
Children 4 to 8 years old in booster seats are 45 percent less likely to suffer serious injuries in accidents. But even kids in booster seats who are not properly belted in are at risk.
What's the problem? Seat belts that cross the stomach can cause abdominal injuries. And belts that cross the neck or are too low on the chest can lead to head and spine injuries.
"Make sure those belts are in the right place so that the restraint can do its job if the child is in a crash," said Dr. Kristy Arbogast with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Twenty-five states have laws requiring a booster until the age 8 and three states -- Florida, Arizona and South Dakota -- do not require booster seats at all.
Crash tests show seat belts alone do not protect a child, which is why safety experts say even booster seats that do not get the top safety recommendation can still protect kids in a crash.
"We're trying to get the better word out that age is not the most important. It's really based on more of the height of the child and how well they fit into those adult seat belts," said Darren Qunell with Car-Seat.org.
The right fit could mean the difference between life and death.
