The role of child restraints and seatbelts in passenger deaths of children aged 0-12 years in NSW. Prepared for the NSW Child Death Review Team by Neuroscience Research Australia.

This report provides a detailed analysis of the factors involved in fatal crashes to 66 child passengers (aged 0–12 years) in NSW during the ten-year period from 2007-16, using in-depth data collected by the NSW Child Death Review Team (CDRT). The analysis examined whether or not children were restrained, and if restrained, whether they were properly restrained – that is, using an age appropriate and correctly fitted restraint. The measure of ‘inappropriate’ restraint in the review is if the child was in a restraint type not applicable to their age according to current NSW legislation. The measure of ‘misuse’ of a restraint is use of an incorrectly fitted restraint. The review considers how many of these deaths may have been prevented if the children had been properly restrained. The review also considers demographic characteristics of the children and drivers, and the role other crash factors played in the deaths of the children. In addition, the review canvasses the current legislative environment and available literature on the major risk and protective factors for injuries to child passengers involved in motor vehicle crashes. (Author/publisher)