Factors Affecting the Severity of Injuries Sustained by Crash-Involved Child Passengers

摘要

Motor vehicles crashes are one of the leading causes of death and injury among children underage 8. From 2004 to 2009, over 14,000 child passengers in this age group were involved intraffic crashes in the State of Michigan. This study examined factors that impacted the degree ofinjury severity sustained by crash-involved child passengers over this period. The use of childrestraint devices was found to decrease the likelihood of severe injuries by over 75 percent andreduce the likelihood of injuries overall by more than 200 percent in comparison to the non-useof restraints. The use of a safety belt alone was also shown to decrease injuries, though theseimpacts were less pronounced in comparison to child restraint device use. Injuries also tended tobe less severe among younger children, when children were seated in the rear row of seats, andin collisions involving lower speeds and impact forces. Severe injuries were more likely amongolder children, particularly when they were seated in the front seat of the vehicle. High speeds,collisions among vehicles traveling in different directions, and high-risk behaviors such asdistracted driving and alcohol use were found to increase the likelihood of severe injuries, aswere crashes involving younger drivers. A parallel analysis of driver injury severity revealedthese effects to be generally consistent among drivers and child passengers. Interestingly, theuse of restraints by either party also reduced the other’s chances of being injured, a possibleindication of risk compensation effects.