Thousands of parents risking a £500 fine - and their children's lives - by not buckling up correctly

A set of new laws surrounding child car seats and booster cushions were introduced a year ago – but up to a fifth of parents in the UK might be on the wrong side of these regulations.

The rules state that children must use a car seat until they are either 12 years old or 4ft 5in tall – whichever comes first. But a survey conducted by insurance comparison site Confused.com found one in five parents said they rarely or never use a car seat while driving with their children.