The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

OTTUMWA, IOWA -- For Tuesday's Facebook story of the day, you wanted to know more about the safety guidelines regarding children's car seats.

The guidelines are mostly concerned with age and weight requirements.

A child under one year old and weighing less than 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing child seat. A child age one to six must be in a safety seat or booster seat, and never just a seatbelt.

Children from age six to 11 must be secured by a child restraint system or a safety belt that crosses their lap and midsection. Rear seat occupants up to age 18 must wear a seatbelt.

The most common mistakes when installing a safety seat is putting the seat in an improper position, such as in front of an air bag, installing the seat too loose and having an infant ride facing forward. Also  be sure to keep the harness retainer clip at the armpit level, and once the seat is in place, be sure to securely fasten the child inside the seat itself.

In Iowa, the misdemeanor fine for not having a child seat installed or not installing one correctly can total at least $195.

For more about age and weight requirements and child seat safety, visit the Department of Public Safety's website.