Age effects on injury pattern of rear-seat child occupants in frontal crashes

This paper presents a study using 1997-2015 National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) data to estimate the risk and body region distribution of injury for rear-seated children aged 4-18 using vehicle seat belts in frontal crashes and evaluate specific cut-off points for age as effect modifiers of the association between use of vehicle seat belts and their respectively significant injury. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the factors affecting the injury risk for children aged 4-18. Results showed that seatbelt was the most common form of restraint for children older than four years of age seated in the rear seat. Children 8-12 years of age were at the highest risk of significant injury among children 4-18 years old. The risks of significant injury by body regions varied among children 4-18 years old due to the differences in anthropometry. Children 4-8 years of age appeared to be at increased risk of injury from using seat belts, whereas children 9-18 years of age experienced protective effects of using seat belts.