Driver Report of Improper Seat Belt Position Among 4- to 9-Year-old Children

Abstract

Objective To determine the frequency with which drivers report improper seat belt positions among children 4–9 years of age and the frequency with which reported problems were attributable to the lap belt, shoulder belt, or both. Subjects and Methods Analysis of driver responses to 5 questions related to seat belt positioning from the cross-sectional, phone-based 2007 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey. Belt position problems categorized as related to (1) shoulder belt and (2) lap belt. Improper belt position was compared across age groups (4–6 years, 7–8 years, and 9 years) and use of a child safety seat with χ 2 statistics or Fisher exact tests as appropriate. Results Seat belt use was reported for 334 of 891 (37%) 4- to 9-year-old child passengers, and 261 (78%) drivers reported improper belt fit among these child passengers. Improper shoulder belt position (44%) was less common than improper lap belt position (62%). At least one improper belt position was reported by 78% of drivers of 4- to 6-year-old children, 77% of 7- to 8-year-old children, and 79% of 9-year-old children ( P = .87). There were no significant differences in report of improper belt position among children who never and those who occasionally use a child safety seat were compared. Conclusions Drivers frequently report improper lap and shoulder belt positions for their 4- to 9-year-old child passengers yet persist in restraining children by the use of seat belts alone. Clinicians can promote the use of size-appropriate child passenger restraint systems, including car seats and booster seats, to overcome the improper belt positions identified in this study.