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CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Use of Child Safety Seats: Laws Mandating Use

CDC

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Child safety seat laws require children riding in motor vehicles to be restrained in federally approved infant or child safety seats. Requirements vary by states based on a child's age, weight, height, or a combination of these factors. Enforcement guidelines and penalties also vary, but all such laws allow drivers to be stopped for failing to place children in safety seats as required under the law.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends child safety seat laws based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in increasing child safety seat use.

Results / Accomplishments

Results from the Systematic Reviews:
Nine studies qualified for the review.

• Fatal injuries: median decrease of 35% (interquartile range: 25% to 57% decrease; 3 studies)
• Fatal and non fatal injuries combined: median decrease of 17% (interquartile range: 11% to 36% decrease; 5 studies)
• Observed child safety seat use: median increase of 13 percentage points (interquartile range: 5 to 35 percentage points; 3 studies)
• Among the studies that evaluated the laws' effects on injury rates, researchers found no differences in the effect size based on the age of children who were required to be in safety seats.

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Prevention & Safety
Community / Transportation
Community / Governance
Source
Community Guide Branch Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location
USA
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Families
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