| Technical Report Documentation Page |
| 1. Report No.
DOT
HS 809 671 |
2.
Government Accession No. |
3.
Recipient’s Catalog No. |
| 4. Title and Subtitle
Misuse of Child
Restraints |
5. Report Date
May 2003 |
| 6.
Performing Organization Code |
| 7. Author(s)
Lawrence E. Decina and Kathy H. Lococo |
8.
Performing Organization Report No. |
| 9. Performing Organization Name and Address
TransAnalytics,
LLC
1722 Sumneytown Pike
Box 328
Kulpsville, PA 19443 |
10.
Work Unit No. (TRAIS) |
| 11.
Contract or Grant No.
DTNH22-01-H-05180 |
| 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Office
of Research and Technology
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 5119
Washington, DC 20590 |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Final Report
October 2001-May 2003 |
| 14.
Sponsoring Agency Code |
| 15.
Supplementary Notes
COTR:
Alan Block, NTI-131 |
| 16. Abstract
The purpose
of this study was to obtain a measure of the current level of
misuse of child restraint systems (CRSs) among the general public.
The project focused specifically on forms of misuse that can be
expected to raise the risk of injury. CRS use and critical misuse
data were collected in the Fall of 2002 for 5,527 children weighing
less than the driver-estimated weight of 80 lb in 4,126 vehicles
in 6 States: Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania,
and Washington. Results showed that 62.3 percent of these children
were restrained in a CRS; 25.9 percent were restrained in a safety
belt (SB); and 11.8 percent were unrestrained. By weight class,
CRS use was 97.1 percent for children less than 20 lb; 86.4 percent
for children 20 to 39 lb; 41.7 percent for children 40 to 59 lb;
and 10.9 percent for children 60 to 79 lb. Overall critical CRS
misuse was 72.6 percent. Most common critical misuses were loose
harness straps securing the child to the CRS and loose vehicle
SB attachment around the CRS. Other types of CRS misuses were
also observed and recorded in the study. A positive relationship
was found between drivers using safety belts and children being
restrained—91.7 percent of the children who were transported
by belted drivers were restrained in either a child restraint
system or a safety belt, compared to 62.3 percent of the children
transported by unbelted drivers. Recommendations are provided
for periodic monitoring of CRS misuse, research needs, and enforcement
and education. |
| 17. Key Words
car seat, data collection, child passenger
safety (CPS), field observations, child restraint system (CRS),
safety belt (SB) use, critical CRS misuse, unrestrained, CRS
use |
18. Distribution Statement
Document
is available to the public through the
National
Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 |
| 19. Security Classif. (Of this report)
Unclassified |
20. Security Classif. (Of this page)
Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages
55 |
22.
Price |
| Form
DOT F 1700.7
(8-72)
Reproduction
of completed page authorized |
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