The number of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities among children 0 to 8 years old has shifted relatively little from 923 in 1991 to 895 in 2000. During this time period, the number of annual fatalities decreased 9% among children 0 to 3 years old, and rose 3% among children 4 to 8 years old. Among children 0 to 3 years old, the percentage of fatalities where the child was unrestrained dropped from 58% in 1991 to 34% in 2000, mainly due to the increased usage of child safety seats. This percentage dropped from 64% to 48% for the 4 to 8 year old age group, as lap and/or shoulder belt usage increased. Crashes involving frontal impacts accounted for more than 5 times an many fatalities as rear impacts, among children 0 to 8 years old. Sixty-one percent of side impact fatalities involved children seated adjacent to the impacted side, while only 20% involved children seated opposite the side of impact. The objective of this study is to analyze passenger vehicle crashes involving children 0 to 8 years old. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES), and NASS Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) were consulted to establish restraint usage trends over a ten-year period and contrasted with National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) restraint usage rates in preparing this report. Fatality rates were calculated using population data from the U.S. Census Bureau and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from the Federal Highway Administration. The study is intended to provide a better understanding of where to focus future safety efforts designed to improve highway transportation for young children.
Abstract