Precious Cargo: Child Passenger Safety

PRECIOUS CARGO: CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY

Motor vehicle-related injuries are a leading cause of death for children* (Children’s Safety Network (CSN), 2013)

IN 2011:

1,130 children died and 171,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Every day, 3 children die and 469 children are injured (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

56% of those who died were male (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

Child passenger fatalities have decreased 46% since 2002 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

Rural/Urban:Children killed in rural areas outnumber urban areas by more than 2 to 1. This could be due (in part) to longer distances from 911 services and local hospitals (Child Car Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

Weekends are particularly dangerous.44% of fatalities occurred during the weekend; a third of all injuries occurred during the weekend (Child Car Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

THE BAD NEWS
274 toddlers*/infants* died. 1 out of 3 were unrestrained (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

73% of child restraints are used incorrectly (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2004)

Infant seats: 84% misused
Rear-facing convertible: 84% misused
Forward-facing convertible: 82% misused
Forward-facing only: 79% misused (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2004)
1 out of 5 booster-age children are unrestrained (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2010)

When drivers didn’t wear their seat belts, 63% of children up to age 4 were also unrestrained. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2008)

THE GOOD NEWS
263 toddlers and infants were saved by restraints. 51 more lives could have been saved if every child was in a child safety seat (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)

Child safety seats can reduce fatalities by

71 percent for infants (younger than 1 year old)
54 percent for toddlers (1 to 4 years old) (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013)
Belt-positioning booster seats lower the risk of injury to children aged 4-8 years by 45% compared with the use of seat belts alone (Arbogast, Jermakian, Kallan, & Durbin, 2009)

When drivers did wear their seat belts, 75% of children up to age 4 were properly restrained. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2008)

ABOUT
*Children are defined as ≤14, toddlers are defined as between the ages of 1 and 4, and infants are defined as <1 year, unless otherwise specified

To view the infographic on our website: http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/publications/child-passenger-safety-infographic

For prevention strategies & resources: http://childrenssafetynetwork.org/publications/child-passenger-safety-resource-guide

To find a car seat inspection station near you: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

SOURCES
Arbogast, K. B., Jermakian, J. S., Kallan, M. J., & Durbin, D. R. (2009). Effectiveness of belt positioning booster seats: an updated assessment. Pediatrics, 124, 1281–1286.

Child Car Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2013). Additional Statistics - Child Passenger Safety Week 2013. Retrieved from http://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/CAMPAIGNS/Child+Safety/Child+Passenger+Safety+Week+2013/2013
+Additional+Statistics

Children’s Safety Network (CSN). (2013). United States 2013 Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/state/united-states

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2004). Misuse of Child Restraints. Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/tsf_misusechildretraints/images/809851.pdf

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2008). FACTS: Children, Youth, Young Adults. Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic Injury Control/Articles/Associated Files/810654.pdf

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2010).Reducing Nonuse of Restraints by Children Ages 5 to 7. Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/traffic_tech/tt382.pdf

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2013). 2011 Children Traffic Safety Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811767.pdf PRECIOUS CARGO CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY Motor vehicle-related injuries are a leading cause of death for children*CSN. 2013 In 2011: Boys U EVERY DAY 3 children die 469 children L130 Child passenger fatalities have decreased children died 171,000 56% of those who died were male NHTSA, 2013 46% 46% Girls children were injured NHTSA, 2013 are injured NHTSA, 2013 since 2002 NHTSA, 2013 Children killed in rural areas outnumber urban areas by more than This could be due (in part) to longer distances from 911 services and local hospitals 2 to 1 N III II II Rural Urban Child Car Safety. 2013 Child Car Safety, 2013 44% 1/3 Weekends are of FATALITIES occurred during the weekend Child Car Safety, 2013 particularly dangerous of INJURIES occurred during the weekend Child Car Safety, 2013 Weekend Weekend 44% 1/3 Week Week 274 toddlers" and infants died 1 out of 3 unrestrained NHTSA, 2013 were totally 263 toddlers e infants were saved by restraints more lives could have been saved if every child was in a child safetų seat NHTSA, 2013 THE BAD NEWS THE GOOD NEWS Correctly Incorrectly Child safety seats can reduce fatalities by 84%) of infant seats 73% 84% of rear-facing convertible seats 71% 54% of child restraints are used incorrectly NHTSA, 2004 for infants NHTSA, 2013 for toddlers NHTSA, 2013 829 of forward-facing convertible seats 71% 54% 79%) of forward-facing only seats NHTŠA, 2004 Belt-positioning booster seats lower the risk of injury to children aged 4-8 years by KO compared with the use 45 % of seat belts alone 1 out of 5 booster-age children are unrestrained NHTSA, 2010 45% Arbogast, 2009 When drivers DIDNT wear their seat belts When drivers DID wear their seat belts Restrained Unrestrained 63% 75% Restrained Unrestrained of infants and toddlers were also unrestrained NHTSA, 2008 of infants and toddlers were properly restrained NHTSA, 2008 "Children are defined as S14, toddlers are defined as between the ages of 1-4, and infants are defined as <1 year, unless otherwise specified For detailed sources: http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/publications/child-passenger-safety-infographic For prevention strategies e resources: http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/publications/child-passenger-safety-resource-guide To find a car seat inspection station near you: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm CSN ChildrensSafety Network.org September 2013 Children's Safety Network