Study Finds Racial Differences in Car Seat Usage

Every year, more than 130,000 children below the age of 13 are injured in auto accidents. Although the rates of car seat usage across the country have increased dramatically over the past few years, the fact is that minority children continue to be at risk of injuries. According to a new study, white parents are much more likely to report higher rates of car seat usage to restrain their children safely, compared to nonwhites. The latest study was conducted by researchers at the University Of Michigan, and the study was published in Pediatrics journal. The study clearly shows that there is a need to target nonwhite groups and other ethnicities in efforts to increase car seat usage among parents. The study clearly indicates to Burbank car accident lawyers sssthat the race of the parents plays a very significant role in whether the child is placed in the right car safety seat that is appropriate for his size and age. According to the study, which was conducted at two emergency departments in Michigan, the proportions of nonwhite parents who too quickly moved their children to booster seats and seat belts from car safety seats were much higher than those of whites. The rate of transition to booster seats and seat belts was actually three times as high as that for white parents. Moving your child too quickly from a child car safety seat to a booster seat or wearing seat belts can place a child at risk of injuries, because such transition must always be done in an age and weight-appropriate manner. Children of nonwhite parents and minority parents are much more likely to place their children in a non-age appropriate child car seat, or position them in the wrong car seat, and these children may be at much higher risk of being injured.