[Use of safety devices among children and adolescents]

5,000 Norwegian children from grades 5, 7 and 9 participated in a survey which questioned to what extent they use various kinds of safety equipment: safety belt, bicycle helmet, reflector, life-vest when in small boats, skateboard helmet and other skateboard safety devices. Use of all types of equipment decreases with increasing age. Except for reflectors, which are used most often by girls, there are no difference between girls and boys as regards use of safety equipment. The results indicate that there is a large potential for increasing the use of safety equipment among children. The consistent decrease in use of such equipment as children grow older shows the importance of understanding the social processes associated with use of safety equipment.