Rear seat safer: seating position, restraint use and injuries in children in traffic crashes in Victoria, Australia.
Car crashes are a major cause of death and serious injury to children but most analyses of risk are based on US data. The Australian context is different in at least three ways: (1) the proportion of passenger-side airbags, a potential risk to children in front seats, is much lower; (2) unlike in the US, Australian airbags are designed to work with restrained passengers; (3) restraint use for children 0-12 years is high (>90%). Official data drawn from Victorian crash records (n=30,631) were used to calculate relative risks of death or serious injury for children (0-3 years, 4-7 years; 8-12 years) traveling in passenger cars during 1993-1998 and 1999-2004. Over 90% were reportedly wearing a restraint, and 20% were traveling in the front seat. For children under 4 years traveling in the front seat, the relative risk of death was twice as great as when traveling in the rear, and that of serious injury was 60% greater. The relative risk of death whilst traveling in the front seat was almost four times greater for children aged under 1 year. We suggest that serious consideration should be given to mandating rear seating for children, particularly those aged 4 and under.
Lennon
Alexia
A
Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, Queensland University of Technology, Beams Road, Carseldine, Queensland 4034, Australia. aj.lennon@qut.edu.au
Siskind
Vic
V
Haworth
Narelle
N
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001336:Automobiles / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011187:Posture; D011482:Protective Devices; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014739:Victoria