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Pediatric occupants, restraint use, and injuries in motor vehicle crashes - biomed 2011
Kathryn L Loftis1, Thomas Pranikoff, Evelyn Y Anthony
1Virginia-Tech - Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Insights
Many children injured in car crashes were not properly restrained. Enhanced public awareness for correct child safety seat (CSS) use is crucial to reduce pediatric injuries in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs).
Area of Science:
- Traffic safety research
- Pediatric injury biomechanics
- Motor vehicle crash analysis
Background:
- Pediatric occupants face significant risks in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs).
- Alternative restraints are developed, but proper usage remains a concern.
- Understanding injury patterns is key to improving child safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize injuries in pediatric occupants involved in MVCs.
- To identify scenarios where enhanced vehicle safety measures may be beneficial.
- To analyze the effectiveness of current restraint systems for children.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Automotive Sampling System - General Estimates System (NASS-CDS) database (2000-2008).
- Analyzed data for pediatric occupants (<19 years old) focusing on age and injury types.
- Employed the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) database to investigate specific restraint misuse cases.
Main Results:
- 60% of pediatric occupants in the NASS-CDS database sustained injuries.
- Six percent of pediatric occupants had Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ injuries.
- CIREN data revealed improper restraint use, including children under 13 in front seats and children under 4'9" not in child safety seats (CSS).
- The face, head, and lower extremities were the most frequently injured body regions.
- 86% of head injuries and 82% of spinal injuries were AIS 2+.
Conclusions:
- A significant number of injured pediatric occupants were not appropriately restrained.
- Improper positioning and restraint use contribute to severe injuries, particularly to the head and spine.
- Enhanced public awareness campaigns promoting correct CSS usage are vital for reducing pediatric MVC injuries.
Abstract:
Pediatric occupants are vulnerable in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), and alternative restraints have been developed for their protection. This study sought to characterize injuries in MVCs for pediatric occupants and to identify scenarios that may benefit from enhanced vehicle safety. Using the NASS-CDS database (2000-2008), pediatric occupants (< 19 yr old) were characterized by their age and injuries to look at national averages in MVCs. There were over 14 million pediatric injuries and non-injured occupants in weighted NASS-CDS (out of over 70 million total). Of these pediatric cases, 60% sustained injuries, which was comparable to the percentage of all occupants injured (65%). Six percent of NASS-CDS pediatric occupants had AIS 2+ injuries, which is the injury inclusion criteria for CIREN pediatric cases. CIREN was used to investigate pediatric occupants and injuries resulting from incorrect positioning and restraints according to NHTSA suggestions. Results indicated that many injured pediatric occupants were not properly restrained, with over 100 in the front row of the vehicle under 13 years of age. There were also over 200 CIREN pediatric occupants under 4 9 that were not seated in a child safety seat (CSS). The most frequently injured body region was the face, followed by the head and lower extremity. Eighty-six percent of head injuries and 82% of spinal injuries were AIS 2+. This study supports prior findings that demonstrate a need for enhanced public awareness for proper CSS use to reduce pediatric injuries in the future.
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