One study showed that children who are not buckled up often crawl around in their seats, stand up, complain, get into fights and play with the dashboard controls. In contrast, this study demonstrated that children who were buckled into car safety systems demonstrated 95 percent fewer incidents of misbehavior. Children are more likely to sleep and look around quietly when in car seats because they feel comfortable and safe. Control of the child's behavior can make driving safer in addition to making the time more pleasant. Children who are not buckled up may be able to open the door of a moving car and fall out.
Unrestrained children can also pull at the steering wheel or distract the driver.
When children are buckled up properly, their parents spend less time scolding them and have more time to think about the road. Children benefit from riding in car seats, too. Car seats can be very comfortable, making them a good place to sleep. In addition, car seats and booster seats place children in a riding position that allows them to see out the windows without standing up and crawling around. Looking out windows is more interesting then looking at door panels or the dashboard.