A quarter of parents are still confused about car seat changes, one year after new rules announced.

The law bans backless booster seats for children below a certain weight - but research carried out by confused.com reveals one in four parents surveyed think the rules are unclear.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: “Crash impact films show what a difference having the correct car seat can make to your child’s protection. And while the rules might be confusing, they are in place to make sure children are as safe as possible. Parents who are still baffled by the law should take a look at confused.com’s guide to choosing the right child car seat, or use the calculator to find one that is best suited for their age or weight.”

So what are the rules?

Under the rules introduced last year, backless booster seats are deemed unsuitable for children shorter than 125cm and weighing less than 22kg – this is the average height and weight of children between six and eight years old. Previously, backless booster seats were only unsuitable for children weighing less than 15kg.

Perplexingly, the new rules, introduced last February, will only apply to manufacturers bringing new products on the market.

So parents who already own and use backless boosters, bought before this date, will still be permitted to use them for younger children.

What are the penalties?

Parents or drivers caught carrying a child under the age of 14 while not buckled up correctly can face fines up to £500.