Junglemobile: a mobile injury-prevention program for young children

To evaluate the child passenger safety curriculum of the Junglemobile, a traveling injury prevention program for young children.

Cross-sectional evaluation with self-controls, convenience sample.

School and community events in rural Colorado, Wyoming, and western Nebraska where the Junglemobile participated for the years 2000-2003.

Children 11 years of age or younger attending a Junglemobile event.

Children were tested on the Junglemobile child passenger safety curriculum. Children 3 to 6 years of age (Group 1) completed a pretest and a posttest. Children 7 to 11 years of age (Group 2) completed a pretest, an immediate posttest, and a 30-day posttest.

Two hundred thirty-seven children in Group 1 completed the pretest, 76% completed both tests. In Group 2, 420 children took the pretest, 55% took all the 3 tests. Group 1 showed significant improvement in the ability to demonstrate the appropriate place to ride in a car, t (179) = -4.06, P < .001. In Group 2, 61% reported always being restrained on the pretest and 73.2% on the 30-day posttest, t(230) = -3.85, P < .001; 85.7% reported being restrained the last time they rode in a car or truck on the pretest; and 93.5% on the 30-day posttest t(228) = -3.38, P < .001. Reported booster seat use increased on 30-day posttest and was greater when parents received an educational brochure (increased approximately 5% without brochure vs 25% with brochure).

Children can be taught about child passenger safety through the Junglemobile, a simple educational strategy. Parental education significantly modifies booster seat use.