Additional Analysis of National Child Restraint Use Special Study: Child Restraint Misuse (Research Note)

This Research Note is the third in a series describing installation problems of child safety seats reported by the National Child Restraint Use Special Study. This report shows that in rear-facing infant and convertible seats, the most common misuses concerned: Child under 1 year old and angle of seat is 30° or less (42% of misuse cases); loose installation (seat moves 2 inches laterally, 29%); and harness slack (15%). In forward-facing car seats, the most common misuses were the following: loose installation (47%); harness slack (28%); and harness straps behind child’s arm, back, or leg (15%). In highback and backless booster seats, the most common misuses were the following: lap belt across abdomen or ribcage (59%); and shoulder belt behind arm or back (24%).

Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasures Guide, Ninth Edition,

2017: This 9th edition of Countermeasures That Work is a basic reference to assist State Highway Safety Offices in selecting effective, evidence-based countermeasures for traffic safety problem areas. These areas include: Alcohol- and Drug-Impaired Driving; Seat Belts and Child Restraints; Speeding and Speed Management; Distracted and Drowsy Driving; Motorcycle Safety; Young Drivers; Older Drivers; Pedestrians; and Bicycles. The guide describes major strategies and countermeasures that are relevant to SHSOs; summarizes strategy/countermeasure use, effectiveness, costs, and implementation time; and provides references to the most important research summaries and individual studies. 

Additional Analysis of National Child Restraint Use Special Study: Characteristics Of Those Not Restrained (Research Note)

The National Child Restraint Use Special Study recorded the use of car seats and belt-positioning booster seats in children up to 8 years old in 4,167 vehicles. This report describes the examination of unrestrained drivers, drivers who report having ever driven with unrestrained children, and drivers transporting unrestrained children. Of drivers in the study, 129 were unrestrained; 725 had driven with unrestrained children; 51 percent said that a “short trip” was the reason.

Additional Analysis of the National Child Restraint Use Special Study

In 2011 NHTSA conducted the National Child Restraint Use Special Study (NCRUSS) to observe the use of car seats and belt-positioning booster seats in children up to 8 years old. In this Research Note, further analysis of the NCRUSS data targeted lower anchors or seat belt installation methods used to secure car seats. When all equipment was present for lower anchor installation, people chose lower anchor installation significantly more often than they chose seat belt installation.

Countermeasures That Work, 8th Edition

This 8th edition of Countermeasures That Work is a basic reference to assist State Highway Safety Offices in selecting effective, evidence-based countermeasures for traffic safety problem areas. These areas include: Alcohol- and Drug-Impaired Driving; Seat Belts and Child Restraints; Speeding and Speed Management; Distracted and Drowsy Driving; Motorcycle Safety; Young Drivers; Older Drivers; Pedestrians; and Bicycles. The guide describes major strategies and countermeasures that are relevant to SHSOs; summarizes strategy/countermeasure use, effectiveness, costs, and implementation time; and provides references to the most important research summaries and individual studies.

Effectiveness of Child Passenger Safety Information for the Safe Transportation of Children

Bicycle Safety Education for Children From a Developmental and Learning Perspective

This report describes the nature of children and adolescents' bicycle injuries in addition to understanding the types of programs that exist and their effectiveness. It also explores the psychological domains related to riding a bicycle in childhood and adolescence such as motor skill development, cognitive development, brain development, and risk-taking and social influences.