Urban Safety Restraint Use by Infants and Children Under 16 years of Age in Virginia: The 2002 Survey Results

About the report:

The principal goal of this child restraint survey has always been to estimate compliance with the relevant statutes in place at the time. Each summer, data were collected in the four metropolitan areas of Virginia (northern, eastern, central, and western) at the same sites, on the same day of the week, and at the same hour of the day. In 1997, sites in three mid-size cities with a population between 50,000 and 100,000 were added, as was data collection on safety belt use by occupants under 16 years of age. In 2002, additional sites in the existing mid-size cities were added to increase the sample size and a new mid-size city, Harrisonburg, was added. In addition, in 2002, the age categories used in the survey were changed to (1) infants and toddlers 0 through 3 years old, (2) preschoolers 4 through 5 years old, and (3) children 6 through 15 years old. These categories allowed the investigators to continue to analyze the longitudinal restraint use data and to evaluate the impact of the legislative changes made in 2002. A total of 2,823 children were observed during the 2002 summer survey of child restraint and safety belt use among persons under 16 years of age: 594 children under age 4 and 2,229 children aged 4 to 16. In 2002, total child safety seat use for metropolitan areas and mid-size cities combined was 93.2% and correct use was 70.8%. Total seat belt use among 4- to 16-year-olds in metropolitan areas and mid-size cities combined was 65.6%, and correct use was 55.4%.

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