Despite significant reductions in the number of children killed in motor vehicle crashes over the past decade, these crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children and adolescents older than three years in the United States. In 2010, more than 4,000 children and adolescents younger than 21 years died in motor vehicle crashes, and an additional 600,000 were injured. Promoting age-appropriate use of motor vehicle restraints for children of all ages, particularly those who would benefit from child safety seats and booster seats, is a cornerstone in making further progress in motor vehicle safety. For example, among children younger than five years, child safety seats saved an estimated 219 lives in 2008. If 100 percent of children younger than five years were using child safety seats in 2008, an estimated 323 lives could have been saved. (Auhor/publisher)
Abstract