Car safety rules and recommendations are available from the American Academy of Pediatrics web site (www.aap.org) and contacting your Department of Motor Vehicles. The recommendations from “Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2007” include but are not limited too:

• Always use your seat belt. Be a good role model for your child.
• Always use a car safety seat. Start with your baby’s first ride home from
  the hospital.
• Never place a child in a rear-facing care safety seat in the front seat of a
  vehicle that has a passenger air bag.
• All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year
  of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that if your baby reaches
  20 pounds before their first birthday, they should remain rear-facing until
  they turn 1 year old. It is best for children to ride rear-facing to the highest
  weight or height allowed by the manufacturer.
• Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your
  child correctly, they should stay in a booster seat until the adult seats fit
  them correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4’9” in height
  and is between 8 and 12 years of age.
• The safest place for all children younger than 13 years is to ride in the
  back seat.