Citation

Wegner MV, Girasek DC. Pediatrics 2003; 111(3): 588-591.

Affiliation

Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12612241

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To measure the required reading level of a sample of child safety seat (CSS) installation instructions and to compare readability levels among different prices of CSSs to determine whether the lower cost seats to which low-income parents have greater access are written to a lower level of education. METHODS: A CD-ROM containing CSS installation instructions was obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Pricing information was obtained for available models from an Internet-based company that provides comparative shopping information. Paper copies of the instruction sets were generated, and their readability levels were determined using the SMOG test. A second rater was used in addition to the primary investigator to assess interrater reliability of the SMOG as applied to the instruction sets. RESULTS: The readability of instruction sets ranged from the 7th- to 12th-grade levels, with an overall mean SMOG score of 10.34. No significant associations were found to exist between readability and seat prices; this was observed whether the data were treated as continuous or categorical. CONCLUSIONS: CSS instruction manuals are written at a reading level that exceeds the reading skills of most American consumers. These instruction sets should be rewritten at a lower reading level to encourage the proper installation of CSSs.