Pediatrician attitudes, knowledge, and practice behavior regarding teen driving safety.
OBJECTIVE
Each year about 4,000 teens ages 16-19 die on U.S. roads. Injury prevention counseling is recommended as a valuable and cost-effective part of routine health supervision. This study describes pediatrician knowledge and practice regarding teen driving safety.


METHODS
A 31-item self-administered survey was mailed to pediatricians.


RESULTS
160 of 392 pediatricians (41%) completed the survey. During a health supervision visit 93% of pediatricians reported discussing seat belt use, 89% impaired driving, 54% teen licensing laws, and 16% parent teen contract. Half reported having a teen in their practice killed in a crash.


CONCLUSIONS
A majority surveyed report discussing and counseling teens on first wave teen driver safety issues (seat belts, alcohol use), but most do not discuss graduated driver licensing laws or related issues.


CONCLUSIONS
Broadly adopted, this inexpensive counseling approach, could lead to reductions in teen motorvehicle crash injuries.
Injury Prevention Center, Trauma Institute, Connecticut Children's Medical Center and Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT 06106, USA.
Brendan T
BT
Campbell
Kevin
K
Borrup
John M
JM
Corsi
Kristine M
KM
Kelliher
Hassan
H
Saleheen
Leonard
L
Banco
Garry
G
Lapidus
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010372:Pediatrics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'