Identifying Strategies to Improve the Effectiveness of Booster Seat Laws
Identifying Strategies to Improve the Effectiveness of Booster Seat Laws

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 119

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The objective of this project was to identify strategies to improve the effectiveness of booster seat laws. The project explored the possible factors that relate to the use and nonuse of booster seats, and examined the attitudes of law enforcement officers and parents/caregivers concerning booster seat laws. As of June 2007, 38 States and the District of Columbia have included booster seat provisions in their child restraint laws. A recent NHTSA sponsored observational survey found 41% of children age 4 to 8 restrained in boosters. A literature review uncovered the following reasons that parents/caregivers do not restrain their children in boosters: misunderstanding of the law; underestimation of risk; lack of knowledge about the benefits of booster seats; and permissive parenting style. An observational study conducted in this project found a 9.1-percentage-point increase in the use of child safety seats and booster seats for children age 4 to 8 following enactment of an enhanced child restraint law (booster seat law). Barriers to the use and enforcement of booster seat laws were addressed in focus groups with parents/caregivers and law enforcement officers. Barriers included parent/caregiver ignorance of child restraint laws and low risk perception; lack of knowledge about the safety benefits of booster seats among the public, as well as among law enforcement officers and members of the courts; low threat of being ticketed for booster seat violations; and lack of commitment to child passenger safety (CPS) by law enforcement top management. Educational, enforcement, and legislative strategies were developed to improve the effectiveness of booster seat laws. The educational strategies are teaching parents/caregivers about best practices for restraint use and the risks of inappropriate restraint use; and identification of booster seat resources for low-income groups. The enforcement strategies include enlisting support for CPS activities from chiefs of police; training law enforcement officers and judges about CPS best practices and their State laws; high-visibility enforcement of child restraint laws; recording appropriate child restraint law violation data on citations; including law enforcement officers in publicity promoting booster seat laws and best practices; and use of fear appeals in CPS messages to increase parent/caregiver risk perception. Legislative strategies are enactment of booster seat laws in all States; strengthening of booster seat laws to meet best practices; and enactment of primary booster seat laws as well as primary seat belt laws.

Identifying Strategies to Reduce the Percentage of Unrestrained Young Children
Identifying Strategies to Reduce the Percentage of Unrestrained Young Children

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 45

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that contribute to nonuse of occupant restraints by children 5 through 7 years of age riding in motor vehicles, and to identify strategies to increase restraint use in this age group. The appropriate restraint for most of these children, based on their size, would be booster seats. Research activities conducted for this study were a literature review, discussions with key informants, a brainstorming session with experts, and focus groups with parents and other caregivers. The prevalence of unrestrained children in this age group varied across observation studies identified in the literature review. Key informants, experts in the field, and parents and other caregivers provided many reasons why drivers do not restrain these children. Reasons included low perceived risk (low crash and injury threat), lack of understanding that booster seats prevent injury, ignorance of the booster seat law, the perception that violations of the child restraint law are not enforced, inconvenience, parental permissiveness, and situational factors. Recommendations to increase proper restraint use among 5- through 7-year-olds centered on enforcement, education, and publicity. Enforcement strategies should focus on increasing the perception that the child restraint law is strongly enforced, increasing the penalties for violating the law, and gaining more support from top-management of law enforcement agencies for enforcing the law. Educating law enforcement officers, judges, and prosecutors about the child passenger safety law and the risks involved for unrestrained and inappropriately restrained children are key components of an enforcement strategy. Generating publicity about the enforcement efforts is also important. Education strategies directed at the public should focus on messages that identify the best practices for properly restraining these children, raise parents' and other caregivers' perception of risk by demonstrating the potential for injury and death using visuals and testimonials, and clarify the child restraint law in the State. Educational messages may be delivered by health care personnel, teachers, law enforcement officers, and child passenger safety technicians. Messages can also be delivered through radio public service announcements and billboards.