010-19 | Car seat replacement after motor vehicle collision

Overview

“Car seat replacement after motor vehicle collision, does an educational tool affect the rate of replacement?”

Motor vehicle collisions (MVC) continue to be a major reason for childhood hospitalization and death. It is clear that more can be done to eliminate preventable motor vehicle collision (MVC) deaths by using child passenger restraints. Studies have demonstrated that the availability of child passenger safety resources for children discharged from an Emergency Department (ED) following an MVC varies by practice setting.  Although emergency physicians value the use of child passenger safety information in discharge instructions, they do not have adequate knowledge of, nor disseminate this information. Currently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that you contact your car insurance company about replacing the car seat after an MVC.  The NHTSA further states that car seats can be used after minor crashes if the crash satisfies five criteria to be classified as minor.  California law has gone further to address the post MVC CRS use through the enactment of legislation that requires liability coverage for replacement of a Child Restraint Systems (CRS) that was damaged or was in use by a child during an accident.  Despite these measures it is unclear to what extent the public is knowledgeable about the NHTSA recommendations and or current California law. This study aims to obtain the baseline rate of Child Restraint Systems (CRS) replacement after MVC and evaluate NHTSA criteria in pediatric trauma patients that present to a Los Angeles County trauma center. In addition, this study will institute an Emergency Department discharge handout (educational intervention) for Orange County trauma centers, for all designated pediatric trauma patients, and obtain the rate of CRS replacement after the intervention.