Roadside tests have revealed that nearly 30 per cent of child car seats are a potential safety risk.
Checks carried out in Bognor, Rustington, Burgess Hill, Horsham and Shoreham found that of 113 car restraints examined, 39 were incorrectly fitted or unsuitable for the design of the vehicle.
The tests were conducted by West Sussex County Council Road Safety Unit and Trading Standards officers.
Properly fitted child restraints are designed to prevent the child from being thrown out of the car, from being thrown around inside the car and to slow the movement of a child in a controlled way to prevent serious injury.
Patrick Bligh-Cheesman, head of Trading Standards, said: "The most common problem is the loose fitting of the child's seat or booster cushion.
"If they are not securely fitted, the child will not be protected from injury in the event of an accident.
"Many of the child seats examined were also found to be unsuitable for the make of car. Some parents were under the impression that child seats can be fitted to any make of car or moved from car to car. This is not always the case."
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