309952
Identifying Common Errors in Child Restraint Use
Purpose: To identify the most common mistakes in child restraint use, and to examine the prevalence of specific errors in child restraint use among various populations.
Methods:Child restraints were inspected in Los Angeles over a three-year period by certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. Child restraint use was assessed using a comprehensive inspection tool which allowed for detailed assessment of 13 components of restraint selection and installation.
Results:Of 1,104 inspected child restraints, 96.2% were installed with at least one error. The most common mistakes were incorrect use of the top tether, failure to secure the restraint with the seatbelt in locked mode, and failure to secure the restraint tightly. Additionally, restraints were more commonly installed in front of airbags in older versus newer vehicles. Older, heavier children were more likely to be riding in restraints with errors in usage of the LATCH installation system.
Conclusions: The vast majority of inspected child restraints were used incorrectly, demonstrating the need to improve child passenger safety practices. Understanding what aspects of misuse are most common among various populations is critical for tailoring child passenger safety interventions. Studying the prevalence of specific errors allows for the identification of at-risk populations and informs the development of tailored child passenger safety education and outreach.
Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health educationImplementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
List 3 commonly observed errors in child restraint installation and selection.
Define 2 aspects of child restraint misuse observed more frequently in older compared to newer vehicles.
Differentiate aspects of child restraint misuse observed more commonly for older, heavier child passengers than for younger, lighter child passengers.
List 13 aspects of child restraint use that can be included on a comprehensive and systematic tool for inspecting child restraints.
Keyword(s): Motor Vehicles, Violence & Injury Prevention
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a nationally-certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and inspect car seats as a major component of my work with the Injury Prevention Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. I teach child passenger safety classes to community members and receive continual updates from the National Child Passenger Safety Board regarding important motor vehicle safety concerns. Through my research and outreach efforts, I am committed to helping reduce pediatric injury.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.