Local Police Enforcement, Public Information and Education Strategies to FosterMore and Proper Use of Child Safety Seats by Toddlers: Evaluation of a Demonstration Project

摘要

The project evaluated the effects of enforcing safety belt (SB)/child safety seat(CSS) laws and providing public information and education (PI&E) about the laws and use and proper use of CSSs-without external funding. Project goals focused on increasing occupant restraint (OR) usage for all infants and young children, especially for toddlers; aged 1 to 5 years; extending the use of CSS's to the back seat; fostering proper use of CSSs for all trips; and increasing community-wide OR use. An administrative audit of the project was also performed. The use and proper use of restraints on over 5,800 young children and over 4,500 drivers were observed. Drivers of these children were also interviewed. Results in the two test communities showed an increase in toddler CSS use from a baseline of 71.8 percent and 60.9 percent to 78.8 percent and 71.4 percent, respectively; and proper use from a baseline of 67 percent and 57.5 percent to 72.8 percent and 69.3 percent, respectively. Infant seat use remained very high at all three sites (over 90%) before and after interventions. No changes were noted in the control site. Community belt use increased by 9 and 6 percentage points in the two sites and decrease by 3 percentage points in the control site. Results showed that routine police enforcement of SB and CSS laws combined with periodic blitzes and a comprehensive PI&E project can significantly improve SB and CSS use and increase proper use of CSSs. Effective OR enforcement projects require commitment, training, active enforcement (citations and written warnings), management monitoring, and comprehensive PI&E, with emphasis on enforcement activities. In addition, state and community support is needed to promote enforcement actions and education about proper CSS use.