Driver seat belt use indicates decreased risk for child passengers in a motor vehicle crash.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the association between driver restraint use and child emergency department (ED) evaluation following a motor vehicle crash (MVC).


METHODS
This cohort study included child passengers aged 0-12 years riding with an adult driver aged 21 years or older involved in a MVC in Utah from 1999 to 2004. The 6 years of Utah MVC records were probabilistically linked to statewide Utah ED records. We estimated the relative risk of ED evaluation following a MVC for children riding with restrained versus unrestrained drivers. Generalized estimating equations were used to calculate relative risks adjusted for child, driver, and crash characteristics.


RESULTS
Six percent (6%) of children riding with restrained adult drivers were evaluated in the ED compared to twenty-two percent (22%) of children riding with unrestrained adult drivers following a MVC (relative risk 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.32). After adjusting for child, vehicle, and crash characteristics, the relative risk of child ED evaluation associated with driver restraint remained significant (relative risk 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.72-0.94). Driver restraint use was associated with child restraint use, less alcohol/drug involvement, and lower relative risk of severe collision types (head-on, rollover).


CONCLUSIONS
Driver seat belt use is associated with decreased risk of ED evaluation for child passengers in the event of a MVC.
Intermountain Injury Control Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, PO Box 581289, Salt Lake City, UT 84158-1289, USA. Cody.Olsen@hsc.utah.edu
Cody S
CS
Olsen
Lawrence J
LJ
Cook
Heather T
HT
Keenan
Lenora M
LM
Olson
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001334:Automobile Driving; D002648:Child; D057207:Child Restraint Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult