Researchers at Starship Hospital are warning some children as old as twelve should still be in car seats.
The research shows that until children reach a certain height they are at a far greater risk of injury if they are not seated properly.
Whether it is a trip to the dairy or a ride to the library, for mother of three Susan Wilkinson, safety is paramount.
With Izzy in the car seat, Jasper in the booster and eight year old Felix snapped in the middle the make-it-click message is clearly practiced in the Wilkinson household.
But a warning tonight - making it click - might not be safe enough.
Researchers at Starship's Intensive Care Unit say they are seeing children suffer unneccesary injuries because they are not restrained properly.
"Some of these injuries are devastating head injuries and broken necks, broken spinal cords, ruptures spleens and livers," says Booster Seat Researcher Liz Segedin.
Injuries, they say could be cut by more than 60% if children stay in carseats past the legal requirement of their fifth birthday.
"They should be in booster seats until they are tall enough to fit an adult seat and an adult seat belt properly," says Segedin.
Tall enough would mean a minimum height of 148 cm.
According to the researchers that means every child aged five and under should be restrained.
Ninety percent of children between six and eight, the age group with the highest number of injuries at Starship, should also still be in booster seats. As should 50% of nine and 10-year-olds and even a small percentage of 11 and 12-year-olds.
But not everyone is keen on the idea.
Jasper at age six is still in a booster seat. Now families like the Wilkinson's have to decide how much longer he is prepared to stay there.
