Most babies take their first car ride just a few days after they are born, when Mom and Dad transport their precious cargo from the hospital to home.

Before hitting the highway with your child, put protective safety measures in place. Initially, this involves purchasing and properly installing the right car safety seat. But this is just the beginning of what should become a lifetime of safe travel.

Each year, auto accidents claim the lives of more children in the United States than any other cause, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of these fatalities occur in children who are not using proper safety restraints. Children should be properly secured even for short drives, as accidents commonly occur close to home.

It is never OK to place a child on your lap while a car is in motion. Such moments of parent-child bonding (or to keep your tyke quiet) are not worth the risk of having your child crushed or thrown from the vehicle during an accident.

Choosing the right seat

Safety seats are available in several different varieties. It is important to choose the right seat given the child's age, size and other individual circumstances. Some of the different types of seats include:

• Car beds. Designed for premature infants born earlier than 37 weeks.
  
  
• Infant-only seats. Made for babies who weigh up to 22 to 30 pounds (10 to 13 kilograms [kg]), depending on the model. These seats typically have carry handles and a detachable base that can be left in the car. Some come as a part of a stroller system.
  
  
• Convertible seats. These seats can be used rear facing for infants then turned forward as children grow. They should be used rear-facing until the child is 1 and at least 20 pounds (9 kg) according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Most forward facing convertible seats can be used until the child is 40 pounds (19 kg), although some also convert to booster seats for bigger children.
  
  
• Forward facing seats (also called toddler seats or toddler boosters). These are similar to convertible seats but can only be used in the forward facing position (not for infants or children under 20 pounds).
  
  
• Booster seats. Made for children between 40 and 80 pounds (19 and 37 kg). Children should be switched to these seats when they reach the maximum weight allowed by a car seat, their ears have reached the top of the car seat or their shoulders are above the top harness slots.