Citation

Desapriya EBR, Pike I, Joshi P. Inj. Prev. 2005; 11(2): 125.

Affiliation

BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, Centre for Community Child Health Research, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/ip.2005.008292

PMID

15805445

PMCID

PMC1730196

Abstract

We were pleased to see the excellent article on child and family safety device affordability by country income level by Hendrie et al (2004). International research has shown that the use of child restraint seats (CRS) significantly reduces the risk and severity of injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes. In the USA proper use of CRS is estimated to prevent approximately 53,000 injuries and 500 fatalities among children under 5 years. This conclusion is supported by one systematic review. Consequently, CRS laws and enhanced enforcement programs are "strongly recommended" interventions. In contrast, in Japan the public health significance of motor vehicle injuries among children has not been adequately appreciated. This is despite the fact that from 1991 to 2002 there were 3582 motor vehicle crash related fatalities and 552,794 injuries involving children aged 0-5 years.