Geo-Demographic Profiling of Inappropriate Restraint Use in Pediatric Motor Vehicle Collisions

Purpose: Motor vehicle collisions (MVC) are a leading cause of devastating injury and unintentional death in children and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends (1) rear-facing car seat until age 2 yrs, (2) forward facing car seat with harness until ∼65 lbs, (3) booster until age [∼8-12 yrs] and height [4’9”] appropriate, (4) children < 13 yrs should be back-seat occupant, and (5) lap belt for all others. Improved outcomes from correct use of restraints is well-known, yet inappropriate adherence to pediatric restraint recommendations hinders their success. This …