by Aimee Keenan-Greene

According to research just presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Denver, researchers at Yale University's School of Medicine found even a one year old can unbuckle their car seat restraints.

Reuters reports, based on 500 surveys distributed at pediatric offices in Connecticut, kids less than three years old can do it, more than 40 percent of children who are able to unbuckle did so while the car was moving, and boys attempted to unbuckle more often than girls.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death in children ages 4-8.

''This study raises questions about how the child restraint was used," Lorrie Walker, training manager and technical advisor for Safe Kids USA, told WebMD, "Federal motor vehicle safety standard 213 requires the buckle to release using between 9 and 14 pounds of pressure. A buckle may give the appearance of being buckled when it has not completely latched."

AAA of Southern New England says if left unrestrained, in a 30 mph crash, children may be thrown forward with a force equal to 30 times their own weight, (10 lb. infant x 30 mph = 300 lbs of force.) That's like falling from a three-story building.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationrecommends:

• Selecting a car seat based on your child's age, height, and weight.
• Keeping your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as your child fits the seat's height and weight requirements.
• All children under 13 should ride in the back seat.