Serious injury is associated with suboptimal restraint use in child motor vehicle occupants.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between restraint usage and injury outcome in child motor vehicle occupants aged 2-8 years.


METHODS
Retrospective case review of all child occupants presenting at the Children's Hospital at Westmead between July 2002 and January 2005 subsequent to a motor vehicle crash. Injury severity was assessed in terms of the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), by age and type of restraint.


RESULTS
Data were collected for 152 child occupants aged 2 and 8 years. While nearly all children (94%) used some restraint, most (82%) used a suboptimal form of restraint. Injury severity between optimally restrained children and suboptimally restrained children differed significantly (Fisher's exact test, P<0.001), with suboptimally restrained children receiving a greater proportion of moderate to severe (AIS 2+) injuries. No optimally restrained child sustained an AIS 2+ injury.


CONCLUSIONS
A total of 82% of child occupants aged 2-8 years involved in crashes were suboptimally restrained. All children who sustained serious injuries were suboptimally restrained. There is a need to encourage correct use of the most appropriate restraint for child motor vehicle occupants in order to reduce the number and severity of injuries in these road users.
Brown
Julie
J
Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, and Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
McCaskill
Mary E
ME
Henderson
Michael
M
Bilston
Lynne E
LE
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D015370:Infant Equipment / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology*