Should your child ride in a car or booster seat?

I know it can be a little overwhelming: Car seat or booster seat?

A new study shows a staggering number of kids are being prematurely transitioned from their car seat to a booster seat, and some groups are just not using them at all.

Nearly 40 percent of children ages 4 to 7 are not being properly restrained, according to a new study.

About 14 percent of children ages 1 to 3, in fact, are being placed into booster seats too early.

So when should you make that transition?

TxDOT recommends kids be more than 40 pounds, at least 5 years old and should meet the height requirements of the booster seat. Another factor: Your child must be behaviorally mature.

This morning we're learning a staggering numbers of Hispanic and black children who are not in the right car seat.

Dr. Mark Rosekind, administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reveals seat belt use by African-American and Hispanic tweets is alarmingly low.

"Non-Hispanic black children age 8 to 12 years old have the lowest restraint use of all age groups at 72.4 percent," Rosekind says.

This week is National Passenger Safety Week. The best thing you can do, Rosekind says, is to read and follow the labels on your car seats.

For more information, check out the recommendations for car seat inspections and check your car seat now to make sure it is not on any recall lists.