Though my car seat ownership days are behind me, I still have vivid memories of wrestling the things in and out of vehicles, getting wiggling, resistant children into them and wondering if that smell would ever come out. The paramount issue, of course, is safety.

This is National Child Passenger Safety Week and we have some resources to help parents properly use child safety seats and to involve children as well. At AAA.com/SafeSeats4Kids, you'll find fun games for kids featuring Garfield and Strawberry Shortcake as part of a educational effort from AAA and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. And AAA.com/carseat has complete information on stages of car seat use, tips on installation, state laws and additional help.

In today's highly mobile society, children travel more than ever. Sadly, this mobility comes at a staggering price. In 2007, more than 1,600 kids died and over 200,000 were injured in car crashes - enough to rank motor vehicle crashes as a leading cause of death for children in the U.S. Tragically, many of these deaths could have been prevented. Research shows that seat belts and safety seats - when properly used -are the most effective tools in preventing injuries and deaths in vehicle crashes. For the shortest or longest trips, take a moment to make sure the 'precious cargo' is secure.