Traffic Safety Facts: Child Restraint Use in 2008 - Use of Correct Restraint Types

摘要

In 2008, the number of children younger than 1 year old or less than 20 pounds restrained in rear-facing child safety seats increased significantly. Rear-facing child safety seats are the appropriate child restraint for children younger than 1 year old or less than 20 pounds. This result is from the National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats (NSUBS), the only probability-based nationwide child restraint survey that observes restraint use and collects age, height, and weight information. The NSUBS is conducted by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Although the primary purpose of the NSUBS is to estimate booster seat use, the survey also provides estimates of the extent to which children are 'prematurely graduated' to restraint types that are inappropriate for their height or weight. We have found some improvements in the 2008 survey but we are still seeing evidence of premature graduation for all restraint types.