Announcement and enactment of legislation improve children’s car seating positions

1. Announcement and enactment of legislation improve children’s car seating positions Melissa Johns, Alexia Lennon and Narelle Haworth Evidence to Action Symposium Townsville November 2010 CRICOS No. 00213J

2. Why explore children’s seating position in cars? Road trauma a major cause of child death and injury 523 child deaths (0-16 yrs) due to road trauma in 5 years 2004 – 2008; Majority (342, 65%) were vehicle passengers Many more non-fatal serious injuries: 2103 for 2006-7 (0-15yrs) Risk of death or injury ~30% greater for front seat passengers than rear CRICOS No. 00213J

3. What we know • Rear seating and use of dedicated Australian Standards child restraint reduces risk of injury • Adult seatbelt not suited to child body • High proportions of children travel in the front seat • Inappropriate restraint use (esp. premature graduation to larger restraint) is common

4. Old vs new legislation

5. The current program of research • Purpose: Evaluate effectiveness of new legislation • Are children more likely to sit in the rear seat now than previously? • Are they more likely to wear an age-appropriate restraint? • How easy is it for parents to comply (what are the barriers)? • What more can be done? • Design: 2 studies • Study 1-observational 3 time phases (pre-legislation; post announcement; post enactment) • Study 2-intercept interviews 2 time phases (post announcement; post enactment, same parents)

6. Study 1- Observational • Three data collection phases: • T1 (before announcement, 2007) • T2 (after announcement but before enactment, 2009-10) • T3 (after the enactment, 2010) • Two regional cities: • Toowoomba, Rockhampton • Site types • Schools, shopping areas

7. Method • High child-passenger volume sites identified in each city (low-med SES suburbs) • Criteria: private passenger vehicles with rear seats; no adult front seat passengers • Data: • number of child passengers; • seating position; • restraint type (RFinfant, FFCS/booster, adult belt; unrestrained) • restraint fit (adult belts only)

8. Results: Seating position • N = 5832 vehicles, 7645 children (aged <12 yrs); • Majority single child passenger (65-81%) • Overall significant decline in front seating T1 pre-announcement to T2 announcement 30.7% (T1) 24.6% (T2) 22.5% (T3) • Little change T2-T3 • However patterns varied according to number of child passengers

9. Proportion of children seated in the front seat stratified for time and number child passengers

10. Percentage of children seated in the front seat as a function of the number of children in vehicle and time period

11. Results: restraint type • Significant changes in type of restraints used • Patterns differed for time phase, number of children

12. Percentage of children using each restraint type as a function of number of child passengers and time period

13. Conclusions • Announcement of the legislation had a significant impact on parents’ seating choices for their children • . • Announcement plus enactment associated with a significant increase in use of dedicated restraints but possibly only for single child vehicles • Only with enactment there was an increase in the use of child seats or boosters, suggesting parents are sensitive to the content of the legislation but possibly not the intent • . • .

14. Implications • Legislation appears to be effective in altering behaviour at least in regional cities • . • Room for further education of parents as grasp of intent of legislation is unclear

15. Limitations • No estimation of ages of children, hence no estimation of appropriateness of restraint type • Higher use of child seats/boosters around shopping centres (due to greater proportion of younger children?) • Did not collect data on whether restraints installed or used correctly

16. Acknowledgements • Australian Research Council • Royal Automotive Club of Queensland

17. References ATSB (2007). Road deaths Australia statistical summary. Canberra: ATSB Brown, J & Bilston, L (2006) Misuse of Child Restraints and Injury Outcome in Crashes Proceedings of the 2006 Australasian Road Safety, Research Policing & Education Conference. Brisbane: Queensland Transport Brown J, McCaskill ME, Henderson M, & Bilston, L. (2006) Serious injury is associated with sub-optimal restraint use in child motor vehicle occupants. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health;42(6):345-349 DITRD&LG (2009) Road deaths Australia statistical summary. Canberra: DITRD&LG Durbin, D. R., Elliott, M. R., & Winston, F.K. (2003). Belt-position booster seats and reduction in risk of injury among children in vehicle crashes. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2890(21), 2835-2840 Edwards, S.A., Anderson, R.W.G. & Hutchinson, T.P. A survey of drivers' child restraint choice and knowledge in South Australia. 2006, Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR): Adelaide Henley, G. & Harrison, J. 2009 Serious injury due to land transport accidents Australia 2006-07. Canberra: AIHW Lennon, A. (2005) Where do children sit in Australian passenger vehicles? Results of an observational study. Proceedings of the 2005 Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Office of Queensland Parliamentary Council (2010) Transport Operations (Road Use Management-Road Rules) Regulation 2009 (Reprint No 1B). Brisbane: Queensland Parliament. Reeve, KN, Zurynski, YA, Elliott, EJ & Bilston, L (2007) Seatbelts and the law: How well do we protect Australian children? The Medical Journal of Australia 186(12) 635-8 Winston, F. K., Durbin, D. R., Kallan, M. J., & Moll, E. K. (2000). The danger of premature graduation to seat belts for young children. Pediatrics, 105(8), 1179-1183

18. Questions? Mark your Diaries! 10th National Injury Prevention & Safety Promotion Conference, Brisbane November 2-4th 2011, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre