Colorado State Patrol is still encountering a significant problem across the state: children not wearing their seatbelts or being improperly restrained in their car seats.

According to CSP, there is still a 78% misuse rate of car seats. Car seat laws in Colorado changed back on Jan. 1, stating that children under 9 years old must be in a booster or car seat, and everyone must wear a seat belt.

Troopers say in most crashes, the person not wearing the seat belt or not properly secured in a car seat is the one who's most often or most seriously injured or killed. Without the seat belt, you can easily fly out of the window. If your child isn't in the correct car seat or properly secured, they could slam into the back of the seat in front of them or be ejected from the car in a crash.

Here's a reminder of the changes:

Rear-Facing Car Seat

• Required if child is under 2 years old and under 40 lbs
• Must go in the back seat if available
• Can stay rear-facing longer if the car seat allows

Forward Facing Car Seat

• Required if the child is:
• Under 2 years old but over 40 pounds or
• 2 to 4 years old and over 20 pounds
• Must go in the back seat if available
• Can continue past age 4 if the car seat allows

Booster Seat

• Required for kids 4 to 9 years old and at least 40 pounds
• Must go in the back seat if available
• Can continue past age 9 if needed

Seat Belt

• For kids 9 to 18 years old
• Must fit properly in the seat belt

Anyone in a vehicle shouldn't rely on the airbags to protect them in a crash.

"It's 100% that you need to have that seatbelt on," Colorado State Trooper Kent Trimbach said. "The most serious injuries we have are when people don't wear their seatbelts. They have a crash, which can be a rollover or even a spinout, and find themselves ejected out of the car. That's when the real serious injuries are happening."

Troopers say if you need help installing a car seat, don't worry. You can head to . All services are free and you can choose when you want your appointment.

It's very important to look out for counterfeit car seats, CSP says. The label may have misspellings or may not look right. When purchasing a car seat, go to a local store instead of online. Make sure the car seat has a red federal sticker on it. If the car seat is very cheap, it is probably a red flag.