With spring sports underway, many parents feel part chauffeur, part cheerleader. With all the frenzy of homework, practice and getting everyone fed, it is easy to lose sight of safety.

A survey in Pediatrics found parents are doing a good job using booster seats (76% use them) when driving their 4 to 8 year olds in the car. However, they were not so good when carpooling other children. Remember, booster seats should be used until a child reaches 57 inches, the average height of an 11-year-old.

So no matter whose car your children ride in, make sure their booster seats go with them. Trust me, the few extra minutes it takes to move the seat from vehicle to vehicle can make a world of difference in case of a crash. 

~Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Medical Editor, HealthyChildren.org