"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."

With ‘Child Passenger Safety Week’ in full swing, parents and caregivers can expect an increased amount of communication as it pertains to child safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will continuously post various ad campaigns on multiple platforms throughout the week regarding car seat safety.

The Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office held a safety event at the Topeka Zoo Tuesday morning regarding kids in cars.

Car seats provide critical protection for kids in the event of a crash, but they're only effective when used and installed correctly.