Details:

Alternative Title:
J Trauma Acute Care Surg
Publisher's site:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000000674
Personal Author:
Kroeker, Amber M. ; Teddy, Amy J. ; Macy, Michelle L.
Kroeker, Amber M. ; Teddy, Amy J. ; Macy, Michelle L. Less -
Description:
Background

Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a leading cause of unintentional death and disability among children ages 4-12 in the United States. Despite this high risk of injury from MVCs in this age group, parental awareness, and child passenger safety programs in particular may lack focus on this age group.

Methods

Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of child passenger safety seat checklist forms from two Safe Kids coalitions in Michigan (2013) to identify restraint type upon arrival to car seat inspections. Other variables included, if the coalition provided a new child safety seat and if the child had a sibling who underwent a car seat inspection. Chi-square statistics were used to compare change in restraint use upon arrival and at departure, the proportion of children attending a car seat inspection event by age, the age category of children by site, the proportion of children with siblings also undergoing a car seat inspection by age, and the distribution of a new child safety seat by age.

Results

Data were available from 1,316 Safe Kids Huron Valley and 3,215 Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids car seat inspections. Just 10.8% of total seats inspected were booster seats. Child safety seats for infant and young children were more commonly inspected [rear-facing carrier (40.3%), rear-facing convertible (10.2%), and forward-facing (19.3%) car seats]. Few children at inspections used a seat belt only (5.4%) or had no restraint (13.8%). Children age 4 and above were found to be in a sub-optimal restraint at least 30% of the time.

Conclusion

Low proportions of parents use car seat inspections for children in the booster seat age group. The proportion of children departing the inspection in a more protective restraint increased with increasing age. This highlights an area of weakness in child passenger safety programs and signals an opportunity to strengthen efforts on The Forgotten Child.

Level of Evidence

Level III


Subjects:
[+]
Accidents, Traffic Article Automobiles Child Child, Preschool Child Restraint Systems Cross-Sectional Studies Humans Retrospective Studies
Source:
J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 79(3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3):S48-S54.
Pubmed ID:
26308122
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC4551077
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
K23 HD070913/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; R49CE002099/CE/NCIPC CDC HHS/United States
K23 HD070913/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; R49CE002099/CE/NCIPC CDC HHS/United States Less -
Place as Subject:
United States
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:436a97a347b16fc19ee30fb8739cf33e731aef5891219c8c8ee1941080c906cf
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/35671/cdc_35671_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• 	nihms679165.nxml	bin
  	nihms679165f1.gif	gif
  	nihms679165f1.jpg	jpeg
  	nihms679165f2.gif	gif
  	nihms679165f2.jpg	jpeg

More +