80% put child's life at risk 'with poorly fitted car seat'

One in every four parents quizzed by Good Morning Britain and OnePoll on how to fit their child's car seat admitted they were unsure how to set it up properly.

The poll also found:

• One in six (15.2%) parents aren't confident their child would be safe in an accident because of the way they fit their car seat.
• One in five parents (19.1%) have discovered they'd fitted their car incorrectly after a journey.

The overwhelming majority of parents are putting the safety of their child at risk by not fitting their car seat properly, an investigation by Good Morning Britain has found.

Eighty percent of the 45 cars put to the test failed to properly secure their child's car seat to their vehicle, increasing the risk of a serious injury or death.

Similar surveys by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the US said 75% of children are riding in car seats that are not properly installed.

The investigation revealed that the things parents struggled most with were threading straps correctly, twisted straps, seats that shook too much and head restraints being left in place

An unrestrained child could be killed in an impact at speeds as low as 5mph.