When we were younger, it was possible to have a regular four-door sedan and still fit up to three kids in the backseat of the car. Everyone got their own seat, complete with a seatbelt and plenty of room to stretch their legs. Now that we know kids up to the age of eight should be in a booster seat, however, fitting three kids side-by-side can be quite a challenge.

I know more than one parent who has to cram three booster seats together and push against the door in order to make it all fit – which might work as a short-term solution, but it’s not really the ideal situation. Not only does having three seats together increase the likelihood of little fingers getting smashed in the mix (and increase the chances that it will take ten minutes to get everyone buckled up), but it can also reduce the efficacy of the safety restraints overall.

For most parents, having three kids (even if it’s just for the weekend or for carpool reasons) almost requires that you purchase a larger car with additional seats. But owning a minivan or SUV isn’t a possibility or even desired by every parent, especially in an age when so many of us are turning to greener automotive alternatives.

Unfortunately, there is no real solution for this problem, especially if you own an older car. Newer models are making up for new car seat safety laws by providing more width in the backseat and offering built-in top anchors, but even then, it can be difficult to take three kids, their booster seats, and all their belongings for a long trip and still be comfortable.

If you do find yourself in a situation where you’ll have three or more kids in the car, it’s best to either take a vehicle with additional seating or to do a “test run” to make sure that all the booster seats will fit safely and that you’ll be able to easily unbuckle the belts and booster seat safety devices in the event of an accident. If things don’t feel right for any reason, it’s best to avoid any type of car travel at all. Booster seat laws exist to make everyone safer, and no matter how much it seems like the right solution, you should never sacrifice that safety for convenience.