The Texas Department of Transportation's Child Passenger Safety Campaign is focusing on children four to 10 years old. The campaign coincides with National Child Passenger Safety Week.

Texas law does not require children be placed in a booster seat once they grow out of their child safety seat. However,

Experts said this age group is often overlooked, and restraining a child with a seat belt instead of a booster seat can be more harmful if they're involved in an accident.

"When a child is placed in a safety belt and she or he is not the proper height, the safety belt may cause injury to the neck or give them internal injuries to the stomach," said Carol Campa of Tx-Dot.

According to Campa, another bad idea is putting children in the front seat, even if they have a booster seat because if the air bags deploy in a crash, they can suffocate the child.

This safety reminder comes after a crash last week in which a four-year-old boy was ejected from the SUV he was riding in after it rolled over.

State statistics show about 1,190 children died in car crashes in 2005 because they weren't restrained.

Campa said a child can graduate from a booster seat when they can sit all the way back, bend their knees comfortably with feet touching the floor.

Car safety seat guidelines suggest newborns to 1 year old need be in rear-facing car seats. Children between 1 and 4 years of age, who weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, need to be in forward facing car seats. Booster seats are for children between 4 and 8, up to 100 pounds, and less than 4 feet 9 inches.

If you have questions, contact the Texas Department of Health Safe Riders Program at 1-800-252-8255.

Tx-Dot is offering free car seat inspections, and encourages parents to stop by and check if their safety seats are being properly used.

Where and When:

Police Headquarters, 911 N. Raynor St., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mission Chevrolet, 1316 George Dieter, Saturday, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.