ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Booster seats for child passengers: lessons for increasing their use

F P Rivara¹, E Bennett³, B Crispin³, K Kruger⁴, B Ebel¹ and A Sarewitz²

¹ Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and Department of Pediatrics University of Washington, Seattle
² Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle
³ Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle
⁴ Safety Restraint Coalition, Kirkland

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr F P Rivara, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Box 359960, 325 Ninth Ave, Seattle WA 98104, USA
fpr{at}u.washington.edu

Objective—To explore parental knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and barriers to use of booster seats in cars for 4–8 year old children.

Methods—Three focus groups conducted by a professional marketing firm.

Results—Many parents were confused about the appropriate weight and age of children who should be in booster seats; most parents incorrectly identified the age at which it was safe to use a lap-shoulder belt. Legislation was viewed as a positive factor in encouraging use. Cost of seats was frequently cited as a barrier to ownership, as were child resistance, peer pressure from older children, the need to accommodate other children in the vehicle, and the belief that a lap belt was adequate. Messages from health care providers, emergency medical services, or law enforcement personnel were believed to be most effective.

Conclusion—Campaigns to promote booster seat use should address issues of knowledge about appropriate age and size of the child, cost, inadequacy of lap belts, and resistance to use by the child.

Keywords: motor vehicle; child passengers; seat belts

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Johnston, B. D., Bennett, E., Quan, L., Gonzalez-Walker, D., Crispin, B., Ebel, B. (2009). Factors Influencing Booster Seat Use in a Multiethnic Community: Lessons for Program Implementation. Health Promot Pract 10: 411-418 [Abstract]  
• Bilston, L E, Finch, C, Hatfield, J, Brown, J (2008). Age-specific parental knowledge of restraint transitions influences appropriateness of child occupant restraint use. Inj. Prev. 14: 159-163 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lennon, A. (2007). A risky treat: exploring parental perceptions of the barriers to seating their children in the rear seats of passenger vehicles. Inj. Prev. 13: 105-109 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gunn, V. L., Phillippi, R. M., Cooper, W. O. (2007). Improvement in Booster Seat Use in Tennessee. Pediatrics 119: e131-e136 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gunn, V L, Phillippi, R M, Cooper, W O (2005). Racial differences in child safety restraint use in Tennessee. Inj. Prev. 11: 340-342 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rothenstein, J, Howard, A, Parkin, P, Khambalia, A, Macarthur, C (2004). Community paediatricians' counseling patterns and knowledge of recommendations relating to child restraint use in motor vehicles. Inj. Prev. 10: 103-106 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Apsler, R, Formica, S W, Rosenthal, A F, Robinson, K (2003). Increases in booster seat use among children of low income families and variation with age. Inj. Prev. 9: 322-325 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lee, J W, Fitzgerald, K, Ebel, B E (2003). Lessons for increasing awareness and use of booster seats in a Latino community. Inj. Prev. 9: 268-269 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• McIntosh, G. C., Katcher, M. L. (2003). Community Campaign Increases Booster Seat Use. AAP Grand Rounds 9: 52-53 [Full Text]  
• Ebel, B. E., Koepsell, T. D., Bennett, E. E., Rivara, F. P. (2003). Too Small for a Seatbelt: Predictors of Booster Seat Use by Child Passengers. Pediatrics 111: e323-327 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ebel, B. E., Koepsell, T. D., Bennett, E. E., Rivara, F. P. (2003). Use of Child Booster Seats in Motor Vehicles Following a Community Campaign: A Controlled Trial. JAMA 289: 879-884 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chang, B A, Ebel, B E, Rivara, F P (2002). Child passenger safety: potential impact of the Washington State booster seat law on childcare centers. Inj. Prev. 8: 284-288 [Abstract] [Full Text]