Not Enough Children Placed in Booster Seats
The
U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) today released results of
a major survey showing that relatively few children who
should be riding in booster seats are doing so. The findings
come in conjunction with the launch of a new national education
campaign today to increase booster seat use.
The
nationwide telephone survey indicates that just 21 percent
of children age four to eight are "at least on occasion"
riding in a booster seat while traveling in a passenger
vehicle. Another 19 percent of children in this age range
were restrained "at least on occasion" in a front-facing
child safety seat.
"This
survey supports what our crash statistics imply, that children
are at unnecessary risk of being injured in crashes because
they are either in the wrong restraint for their size, or
worse, totally unrestrained," Dr. Runge said. "Children
are not only safer, but more comfortable in a safety belt
that fits, and that's what a booster seat provides."
Results
of the latest survey, which cover a variety of traffic safety
issues involving children, were released today by NHTSA
Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., at a news conference
in the Houston suburb of Pasadena. The event marked the
launch of a new national campaign to increase booster seat
use, called "Boost for Life," which is being led
by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).
Children
who have outgrown their child safety seat should ride in
a booster seat until they are at least eight years old or
4 feet, 9 inches tall, according to NHTSA. Children placed
in poorly fitting adult safety belts can suffer serious
life-threatening injuries, or risk being ejected from a
vehicle altogether in the event of a crash.
NHTSA's
new research findings on child passenger safety are drawn
from a national survey conducted by the agency on a biannual
basis to monitor the public's attitudes, knowledge, and
self-reported behavior regarding safety belts, air bags,
crash injury experience, and emergency medical services.
In addition to its findings on booster seat use, the new
survey results provide an array of information on other
child passenger safety issues.
Findings of the newly released survey were derived from
two telephone questionnaires, each administered to a randomly
selected sample of about 6,000 persons age 16 and older.
The interviewing was conducted between January and March
of 2003.
According to the survey, 85 percent of the parents and caregivers
of young children had heard of booster seats. Among those
who were aware of booster seats, 60 percent said they had
used them "at some time" with their children.
Dr.
Runge lauded the National Automobile Dealers Association
for leading the new "Boost for Life" campaign.
The campaign, to begin in October with the support of NHTSA,
will involve public awareness efforts by dealerships throughout
the country. Dealers will conduct child safety seat inspection
programs for the public and will distribute at least 5,000
NHTSA brochures to promote booster seat use. NADA represents
about 20,000 franchised new car and truck dealers.
"Education
is one of our most effective tools for ensuring the safety
of children in motor vehicles," Dr. Runge said.
The new research report can be viewed on the NHTSA website
at:http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ |