The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of seat belt use among school-aged children in low-income Hispanic communities. The authors conducted unobtrusive observations of school-aged children (aged 5 to 12 years) travelling to and from nine elementary schools in two communities. They documented vehicle type, and belted status and seating position of children, driver, and other passengers. Results are presented as percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). 3651 children were observed, of which restraint use could be determined for 2741. Overall, 29% of children were using seat belts. By seating location, 58% were in the front seat with 40% belted, and 42% were in the back seat with 14% belted. Children were most likely to be restrained when travelling in the front seat (40.0%, CI=37.6-42.5); travelling with a belted driver (42.4%, CI=40.0-44.8); or travelling without additional passengers (40.3%, CI=37.0-43.7) Seat belt use among children from this study population was below the national average and was alarmingly low among children in the back seat. While travelling, being belted in the back seat provides the most protection in a collision. Prevention efforts need to be based on an understanding of the barriers to restraint use for children travelling in the back seat. (A)
Abstract