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Child seating position and restraint use in three states
S A Ferguson1, J K Wells, A F Williams
1Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arlington, VA 22201-4751, USA. sferguson@iihs.org
Summary
Children are less likely to sit in front seats of cars with airbags. However, older children in front seats are often unrestrained, highlighting the need for continued education on proper child restraint and rear seating.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Safety
- Traffic Safety Research
- Automotive Safety Engineering
Background:
- Deployment of airbags poses significant risks to children in vehicle front seats.
- Public awareness campaigns have emphasized child restraint and rear seating for safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate child restraint use and seating positions in vehicles equipped with and without airbags.
- To identify trends in child passenger safety based on vehicle features and demographics.
Main Methods:
- Observational surveys conducted in Michigan, North Carolina, and Texas in 1998.
- Data collection included child restraint status, seating position, estimated age, driver belt use, and airbag presence.
Main Results:
- Children were observed less frequently in front seats of vehicles with passenger airbags (24%) compared to those without (36%).
- Children aged 7-12 were most common in front seats, with significant numbers of 3-6 year olds also present.
- Children aged 3-6 in front seats had the lowest restraint use rates and highest improper restraint rates, even when drivers were belted.
Conclusions:
- Continued education is crucial for parents regarding correct restraint use and rear seating for children transitioning to adult seat belts.
- Enforcement of existing state seat belt laws is recommended to improve child passenger safety outcomes.