Children In Cars Under 12 Face Increased Risk Of Serious Spinal Injuries

Children in Cars Under 12 Face Increased Risk of Serious Spinal Injuries

17 October 2009

News Release Embargoed 7am., Saturday 17 Oct.

Children up to the age of 12, travelling in the back seats of cars, were seven times more likely than teenagers to sustain serious spinal injuries because they were too small to get maximum protection from conventional adult seat belts, according to new research.

The Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute (POWMRI) today called on the NSW Government to urgently legislate national road safety rules, approved in February 2008 by the Australian Transport Council.

These approved rules govern the use of specific child restraints and seating of children in the rear of vehicles up to the age of seven and have already been adopted in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT. This new research suggests these laws may need to be extended to cover children up to age 12 in the future.

POWMRI has also urged car manufacturers to rethink the design of rear seats in order to minimise the risk of serious spinal and head injuries for children up to the age of 12.

POWMRI research team leader, Associate Professor Lynne Bilston, said many children under the age of 12 couldn't sit comfortably in rear seats and slouched in an effort to be able to bend their knees over the front edge of the seat.

"This causes the lap belt to slide up over their abdomen instead of sitting low across the hip bones and the shoulder belt to lie across the neck. Our research shows that many children, who find the belt uncomfortable, tend to put the shoulder belt under their arm or behind their back," Prof Bilston said.

"This can put all the force of a crash on the child's soft abdomen and lower spine and allow the head to hit the car. Having the belt across the neck can cause serious neck injuries."

The POWMRI research involved the study of children treated for car accident injuries at two major Australian children's hospitals. It has been conducted over the past seven years and is ongoing.

The researchers also measured rear seats in 50 Australian cars and compared this with leg lengths of children. It showed that the age of 12 matches the typical age when a child's thigh is longer than the base of the rear seat, so they can bend their knees comfortably without slouching down. It also coincides with when the shoulder belt fits properly across the shoulder in more than half of the cars measured.

POWMRI researchers recommend that manufacturers consider possible adjustments to the design of car rear seats because children make up around 60% of rear seat occupants.

"Shortening the rear seat base by just five centimetres would mean that an extra 34% of children aged 8-15 would fit properly in the rear seat," Prof Bilston explained.

"However, until something serious is done to enhance the safety of the rear seat designs, we are recommending children use booster seats until their legs are long enough to bend over the front of the seat".

"Parents of younger children should also be careful, as we see similar injuries in two and three year olds using booster seats, when they should be using forward-facing restraints instead," Prof Bilston concluded.

A downloadable Child Restraint Guidelines document is available on the Institute's website, www.powmri.edu.au

Media contact: For more information: John Hanrahan 02 9692 8811, M: 0411 212 965.

SOURCE: Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute