National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Training Program May 2004 Basics of Injury Prevention

Objectives Define injury Describe significance of MVC injuries Describe problem of misuse of CRSs Explain relationship of injury prevention to CPS Explain appropriate interventions in three phases of a crash Injury Prevention - 2

Why Are We Here? Traffic crashes are the leading cause of unintentional severe injuries & death. Many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented with proper restraint use. Because we care and together we can make a difference. Injury Prevention - 3

Defining Injury Caused by the transfer of energy to tissues Results from acute exposure to thermal, mechanical, electrical, or chemical energy Can be unintentional or intentional damage Injury Prevention - 4

Injury Prevention Reducing the risk of injury Methods not 100% effective CRASHES are NOT ACCIDENTS! Injury Prevention - 5

Fatalities ... Are just the tip of the iceberg For every 1 death there are 45 injuries requiring hospitalization and 1100 other injuries requiring medical care Injury Prevention - 6

Injury Facts Unintentional injuries = leading cause of childhood deaths MVC = 42 % of all unintentional injury-related deaths 6 children killed………..each day in 2001 732 children injured……each day in 2001 Annual cost of childhood MVC deaths/injuries = exceeds $ 36 billion Injury Prevention - 7

Child Restraint Effectiveness 71% effective in reducing deaths for infants 54% for 1 to 4 year olds Reduces the need for hospitalization by 69% Injury Prevention - 8

CPS Issues Nonuse = 40% Misuse = at least 80% Incompatibility Effective dissemination of new information Changing existing behavior patterns Injury Prevention - 9

Misuse National SAFE KIDS Campaign CPS Checkup events 82% Results: February 2001 to May 2002. 37,000+ child safety seats and vehicle safety belts Results: 82% misuse overall Average of three errors / misused restraint 82% Misuse 18% Correct Use Injury Prevention - 10

Phases of a Crash Injury Prevention - 11