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In 2004, there were nearly 61 million children age 14 and younger in the United States. This age group made up 21 percent of the total U.S. resident population in 2004 (2005 data not yet available).
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for the age group In 2005, there were a total of 43,443 traffic fatalities in the United States. The 14 and younger age group accounted for 4 percent (1,946) of those traffic fatalities. This age group accounted for 4 percent (1,451) of all vehicle occupant fatalities, 9 percent (234,000) of all the people injured in motor vehicle crashes, and 8 percent (203,000) of all the vehicle occupants injured in crashes. Every day in the United States, an average of 5 children age 14 and younger were killed and 640 were injured every day in motor vehicle crashes during 2005. In the 14 and under age group, males accounted for 57 percent of the fatalities and 50 percent of those injured in motor vehicle crashes during 2005. Figure 1
Alcohol-Related Crashes and Children In 2005, a total of 414 (21%) of the fatalities among children age 14 and younger occurred in crashes involving alcohol. Of those 414 fatalities, over half (224) were passengers in vehicles with drivers who had been drinking, with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of .01 gram per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. An additional 96 children were killed as passengers in vehicles with drivers who had not been drinking. Pedestrians There were a total of 4,881 pedestrian fatalities in 2005. The 14 and under age group accounted for 339 (7%) of those fatalities. Almost one-fifth (17%) of the traffic fatalities in the 14 and under age group were pedestrians.
In 1995, there were 695 pedestrian fatalities in the 14 and under age group. From 1995 to 2005, the number of pedestrian fatalities in this age group decreased by 51 percent, with the 4-7 year age group showing the largest decrease (59%). Of the total 339 pedestrian fatalities among children age 14 and younger in 2005, 207 (61%) of those killed were males. In 2005, a total of 64,000 pedestrians were injured, 16,000 of those injured were age 14 and younger, and males accounted for 59 percent (9,000) of those 16,000 injured. Figure 2
During 2005, 7 percent of the fatalities among young pedestrians occurred between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and 82 percent occurred at non-intersection locations. Pedalcyclists
A total of 784 pedalcyclists were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2005. The 14 and under age group accounted for 126 (16%) of those fatalities, and males accounted for 79 percent (100) of the fatalities among pedalcyclists age 14 and younger. The 126 pedalcyclist fatalities in 2005 for the 14 and under age group represent a decrease of 51 percent from the 257 killed in 1995. In 2005, a total of 45,000 pedalcyclists were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Thirty percent (or an estimated 14,000) of the pedalcyclists who were injured were age 14 and younger. Figure 3
Restraint Use and Their Effectiveness
Research has shown that lap/shoulder safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat occupants (age 5 and older) of passenger cars by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent. For light-truck occupants, safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 65 percent. During 2005, 7,493 passenger vehicle occupants age 14 and younger were involved in fatal crashes. For those children where restraint use was known, 27 percent were unrestrained; among those who were fatally injured, 46 percent were unrestrained. Table 1
Research on the effectiveness of child safety seats has found them to reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (less than 1 year old) and by 54 percent for toddlers (1-4 years old) in passenger cars. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions are 58 percent and 59 percent, respectively. In 2005, there were 450 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities among children under 5 years of age. Of those 450 fatalities, where restraint use was known (428), 151 (35%) were totally unrestrained. Table 2
Among children under age 5, an estimated 420 lives were saved in 2005 by child restraint use. Of these 420 lives saved, 382 were associated with the use of child safety seats and 38 with the use of adult safety belts.
At 100 percent child safety seat use for children under 5, an estimated 518 lives (that is, an additional 98) could have been saved in 2005. Over the period 1975 through 2005, an estimated 7, 896 lives were saved by child restraints (child safety seats or adults safety belts). In February 2005, NHTSA conducted the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS). One of the studies in the survey was the Controlled Intersection Study, which provided more detailed information about child restraint use. Table 3
Important Safety Reminders Failure to read the child safety seat instructions, in addition to vehicle owner manual instructions regarding safety belts, could result in serious injury or death as a result of a failure of the child safety seat to be securely and/or properly restrained. Children in rear-facing child seats should not be placed in the front seat of vehicles equipped with passenger-side air bags. The impact of a deploying air bag striking a rear-facing child seat could result in injury to the child. NHTSA also recommends that children 12 and under sit in the rear seat away from the force of a deploying air bag. Children age 12 and under are safest when properly buckled in the back seat of a motor vehicle.
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