Is your child's car seat toxic? Researchers say their study finds it is possible

Researchers have a warning for parents. When you put your child in his or her car seat, you may be exposing them to toxic chemicals.

The nonprofit Ecology Center tested more than 150 car seats made in 2011. Over half of 2011 child car seats contained hazardous flame retardants and chemical additives.

Researchers say this is especially dangerous in car seats because heat and UV-ray exposure can accelerate the breakdown of these chemicals.

The chemicals are linked to birth defects, allergies, impaired learning, and cancer.

"Car seats save lives. It's absolutely essential that parents put their children in them while driving, regardless of the rating a particular seat received at HealthyStuff.org," said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center's Research Director. "However, our research shows that some car seats contain more harmful chemicals than others."

If you’re looking to buy a car seat, researchers say the best overall is Graco’s Turbo Booster. The most toxic seat is the Recaro Pro Booster. For a complete list of car seat rankings, click here.