Accidents are the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality among adolescents. Among these, automotive accidents figure prominently. In 2002, 8278 15- to 20-year-old drivers were involved in fatal crashes. This figure represented an increase of 141 over the previous year. In fact, the death rate for motor vehicle-related injuries is now little different from that for older teens in 1950. The situation is quite different for toddlers, however. The death rate for 1-4-year-olds for injuries suffered as the result of motor vehicle injuries has steadily fallen since 1950 and is now at a historic low of 4.1 per 100,000. Clearly, the efforts of organisations such as the American Academy of Paediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) resulting in state laws requiring car safety seats and, more recently, rear-facing child restraints, are responsible for this accomplishment. NHTSA first began regulating child safety seats in 1971 and within a decade advocated rear-facing restraint. (Author/publisher)
Abstract