Most kids in fatal U.S. car crashes weren’t properly restrained, study finds (ConsumerAffairs)

We all know car crashes can be deadly — especially for children. But a new study shows just how often safety fails when it comes to using child restraint systems (CRS), like car seats and seat belts.

According to research out of Lurie Children’s Hospital, nearly 70% of children under age 13 involved in U.S. car crashes with at least one fatality were not in a properly used or age-appropriate restraint.

That means even when seats, belts and laws exist, the people entrusted with children too often aren’t getting it quite right. The implications are huge: Safety isn’t just about having the right gear, but about using it correctly, all the time.

“Given the continued problem of suboptimal child passenger safety practices among children across the country, there is a need for innovative, targeted programs to promote correct and consistent use of age-appropriate car seats, restraints and seating locations,” lead author Arthi Kozhumam, MScGH, said in a news release.

The study

To understand what went wrong and where, the researchers tapped into a massive data source: the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) — a national database that records car crashes resulting in deaths. Here’s what they focused on:

• Who: Children under 13 years old involved in crashes with at least one fatality.
• What they measured: Whether the child was using an age-appropriate CRS, whether they were prematurely moved to a less protective restraint, whether they were unrestrained at all, and whether they were seated in the front seat.
• Where and when: The study covered crashes from 2011 to 2021 across the U.S., and also examined community-level factors such as resources (Child Opportunity Index) and geographic concentration (hotspots) of poor restraint use.
• Policy angle: They also checked how state laws (how strict the laws are, fines for first time seat belt or restraint violations) related to correct restraint use.

The results

The findings are sobering. Among the ~50,000 children studied:

• 36% were moved too early to a less protective restraint (for example, transitioning from a car seat to a booster or booster to seat belt before safe to do so).
• 20% were unrestrained — no seat belt, no CRS.
• 15% were riding in the front seat (which is less safe for younger children overall).
  Further, 9% of those front-seat riders were unrestrained.

Access the ConsumerAffairs website to learn more about child car seat and seat belt use.