Citation

Lee KC, Shults RA, Greenspan AI, Haileyesus T, Dellinger AM. J. Saf. Res. 2008; 39(1): 25-31.

Affiliation

Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); US Public Health Service; Epidemic Intelligence Service, CDC.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2007.10.007

PMID

18325413

Abstract

Introduction: In 2004, more than 180,000 child passengers aged </=12 years sought care in U.S. hospital emergency departments (EDs) for injuries sustained in motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs). Method: We expanded the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program for 635 injured children aged </=12 years treated at 15 hospital EDs in 2004 by collecting multiple injury diagnoses and interviewing parents about MVC circumstances. Results: Nine percent of the children were unrestrained and 36% were inappropriately restrained. Blacks and Hispanics were about six times more likely to be unrestrained than Non-Hispanic Whites (12% and 14%, respectively, vs. 2%). Seventy-seven percent of inappropriate restraint use occurred among children aged 4-8 years, who were prematurely placed in seatbelts. Eight percent of children required hospitalization; unrestrained children were three times more likely to be hospitalized than restrained children (21% vs. 7%). Conclusion: Age-appropriate restraint use should be promoted for child passengers, particularly among Blacks, Hispanics, and children riding in trucks.

Language: en