New study reveals fatal risk posed by poorly fitted children’s car seats

It's no secret car seats can be the difference between life or death for children in road crashes however a new study has warned of the fatal risk posed by poorly fitted seat restraints.

The research has revealed two thirds of Australian kids are not safe in cars despite parents' best intentions.

"You can be in the safest car seat but if it's not fitted correctly to a car or you haven't strapped the child in properly it dramatically increase the chance of a serious injury," the Centre for Road Safety spokesman Evan Walker said.

The study crash-tested six new car seats which were strapped with cameras.

The vision captured an alarming moment when the car is hit and causes the dummy child to be choked by the seat belt.

The test also revealed that an approved car seat doesn't necessarily mean that the child is safe.

For parents like Georgina Pye, choosing a car seat is a lengthy process.

"The main thing is comfort for the kids and then the safety rating,” she said.

“I like to go on a website and see how the seats have been rated before purchasing."

Experts said the best way to ensure children are safe in the car seat is to ensure it has the appropriate safety features and is fitted by an accredited professional.

To see how your seat rates you can log onto www.childcarseats.com.au