Three quarters of child car deaths could have been prevented in Australia

May 13 2008

In what will come as quite shocking news, Australian researchers say that almost three-quarters of child deaths in car accidents could have been prevented if seatbelts had been properly fitted.

In study by the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit it has been revealed that while most children involved in accidents were wearing seatbelts or were in child restraints in 70 per cent of cases the children were wearing the wrong restraint or seatbelt for their age group.

Dr. Yvonne Zurynski, who is the deputy director of the Australian Pediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU) based at the Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, carried out a study of serious injuries linked to the misuse of seatbelts in children under 12.

Dr. Zurynski looked at 65 deaths recorded in the national coroners' database between July 2000 and December 2005 and found that almost three quarters of the deaths could have been prevented had appropriate child restraints been used correctly.

Although 58 per cent of the children were restrained, in almost two thirds of the cases the restraint was inappropriate for the child's age; even more of a concern was that 21 per cent of the children who died were unrestrained.

Dr. Zurynski says had age-appropriate child restraints and booster seats been used many of these fatalities could have been prevented.

Another analysis revealed that of 48 children who were hospitalised after car accidents, 77 per cent sustained abdominal injuries, 35 per cent head and neck injuries, and 46 per cent required surgery - one third of the children had spinal injuries and four died.

According to Dr Yvonne Zurynski in contrast to other countries it is not mandatory in Australia for children older than 12 months to be in a child restraint or booster seat when in a vehicle.

Dr. Zurynski believes changes to legislation, improved community education and awareness will help prevent injuries and deaths and governments should enact laws mandating the use of car seat restraints to the age of four.

The Australian Transport Council has in fact approved a change to the road rules making the use of child restraints up to the age of four and booster seats up to the age of seven mandatory, but Dr Zurynski says often children as old as 12 were are not tall enough to use a seat belt properly and should have booster seats.

Dr. Zurynski is concerned that state and territories are yet to come in line with the amendment.