The laws for vehicular child restraints vary from state to state, but infants and small children are required, across the board, to be placed in child safety seats, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The laws for booster seats, which are used for children who have outgrown safety seats but are still too small to properly wear a seat belt, tend to be less consistent.

One of the most important aspects of a child safety seat is the fit of the belt, and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety recently conducted inspections of 62 different models of booster seats, and found that a record number (31) were "Best Bets." This designation means that the boosters can provide proper belt placement for children four to eight in any type of vehicle.

"Just four years into our ratings program, parents have a wide variety of top-rated seats to choose from," said Anne McCartt, IIHS's senior vice president for research. "Still, boosters that don't consistently provide good belt fit outnumber the ones that do, so consumers need to keep paying attention to this issue."

Having a reliable way to secure children in a vehicle can lower the risk of injury in the event of an accident, but it will not help cars avoid damage in a crash. This is where a car warranty can come in handy as it covers the cost of any necessary repairs.