Related Experiment Videos
Hospitals' response to the buckle-up baby legislation in Ontario
Insights
Ontario drivers must use child safety seats for infants and toddlers. A 1982 memorandum urged hospitals to promote safety seats, leading to the Cooperative Hospital Infant Restraint Program (CHIRP) study.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Health Policy
Background:
- Ontario law mandates infant and toddler restraint in vehicles.
- A 1982 provincial memorandum encouraged hospitals to promote child safety seat use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess hospital responses to the 1982 child safety seat memorandum.
- To study the feasibility of a hospital-based infant safety seat loaner program.
Main Methods:
- Description of the Cooperative Hospital Infant Restraint Program (CHIRP).
- A 1984 questionnaire survey of Ontario hospitals with newborn or pediatric services.
Main Results:
- The study assessed hospital participation and support for child safety seat initiatives.
- Data was collected on hospital responses to the ministerial directive.
Conclusions:
- Hospital engagement is crucial for promoting child passenger safety.
- The Cooperative Hospital Infant Restraint Program (CHIRP) aimed to improve safety seat accessibility.
Abstract:
Drivers in Ontario are legally responsible to ensure that infants and toddlers are restrained in a child safety seat or by a lap belt. In 1982 the minister of health sent a memorandum to all medical officers of health and the administrators and medical directors of all public hospitals in Ontario, urging them to encourage and assist parents in protecting their newborn children with safety seats. In 1983 the Toronto General Hospital established the Cooperative Hospital Infant Restraint Program (CHIRP) to study the feasibility of a "loaner" program for hospitals in metropolitan Toronto. The authors describe CHIRP and its objectives. They also report the results of a questionnaire they sent in 1984 to all Ontario hospitals that had a newborn or pediatric service to assess their response to the minister's memorandum.