Would somebody please save Mrs. Kevin Federline from the evil that stalks her? I mean really, how else can you explain a second car seat safety infraction, which involved 8-month-old Sean Preston, riding in the backseat of his mother's car, facing forward - neck obviously unsupported - in an infant car seat? The only plausible explanation is that some extraterrestrial being turned the car seat around unbeknownst to Britney. Of course, if you're familiar with the original car seat caper, then this theory is a little harder to sell, since a baby on your lap while your driving is certainly something any mother would be aware of.

After the first incident, you would think that Mrs. Federline would be particularly observant of car seat safety. Not so, she was once again caught in a compromising car seat situation. Although, this time it wasn't nearly so cut and dried.

Confession time: I turned my firstborn son's car seat to forward facing at 10 months old, two months shy of the accepted 12-month mark. Of course, that was 10 years ago, and my son did weigh in at a whopping 29 pounds. While he wasn't the right age, he was certainly beyond the right weight. The line between right and wrong was murky at best.

You might be thinking, "Well how much does Sean Preston weigh?" I haven't a clue, but I do know that the American Academy of Pediatrics is on record as saying, "All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that if your baby reaches 20 pounds before her first birthday, she should remain rear-facing until she turns 1." It seems pretty cut and dried now, doesn't it? The thing is, motherhood is fraught with tough choices, sticky situations and downright frightening moments. First-time moms like Britney definitely have a learning curve and could benefit from advice from moms who have been there. But after the first incident, she received plenty of tips and feedback - from moms and experts alike. Her problem seems to be taking that advice to heart and putting it into practice.

While I can't say that I have ever been cornered or threatened by paparazzi (do stoplight florists and windshield washers count?), I can say that driving away with my child on my lap would certainly not cross my mind as particularly safe or smart in any situation (except maybe when confronted with a hasty lava flow breathing down my back bumper). You have to wonder how Britney's life would have been different had she calmly entered the backseat, buckled up Little Sean Preston and smiled sweetly for the cameras?

And this time, well let's suppose Sean Preston cries incessantly while Mama is cruising. Let's also suppose that a trusted friend suggests that her own child stopped fussing the minute she turned the car seat around - after all, "What's there for him to see facing backwards?" Many of us can relate, but that doesn't make it OK. Compromising your child's safety for your comfort (a.k.a. cry-free travel) is never the right thing to do.

Still, I want to believe there is something more than the average everyday no-brainer happening here. With all we know about the importance of buckling up and the dangers of the road, why do so many people still choose not to? Worse yet, why do so many people fail to follow car seat safety guidelines for their children? Blame it on aliens, I say. The alternative is to just too scary to entertain - especially when Britney has another baby on the way.

For the facts on car seat safety, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics.