AAA Foundation Study: Booster Seat Use Increases over 40 Percent with Knowledge and Incentives

LOS ANGELES--Feb. 1, 20064, 2006--Parents and caregivers of children are 43 percent more likely to put children in car booster seats once they learn how important booster seats are to child safety and how easy they are to use, according to new study results announced today by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety also found that when booster seats are distributed free of charge and distribution is combined with information about their use and effectiveness, parents and caregivers are more than twice as likely to use car booster seats than they normally would.

"Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children, and booster seats save lives when properly used in conjunction with lap and shoulder belts," said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "Unfortunately, many children are put at risk when they are improperly restrained by a seat belt intended for an adult or older child and the booster seat phase is skipped."

Child booster seats are designed for children approximately 4 to 8 years old, and when properly used with lap and shoulder belts, they can reduce serious injury by 60 percent.

In California, 37 children aged 4 to 8 were killed and nearly 5,400 were injured in traffic crashes during 2003.

The AAA Foundation initiated the study to determine which of the many approaches are most effective at encouraging caregivers to put children in booster seats.

The Foundation commissioned researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to undertake a systematic review of studies that had evaluated interventions aimed at increasing booster seat use. This first-of-its-kind Cochrane Review study led by Dr. John Ehiri, Associate Professor in the UAB School of Public Health, confirmed that three approaches work best: 1) education, 2) education in conjunction with giveaway programs and 3) education with incentive programs, such as a discount coupon to purchase a booster seat.

According to AAA, the Foundation's findings about the importance of an education component increasing booster seat usage have significant implications for state policymakers. AAA says it is crucial to pass booster seat legislation and connect it with educational and outreach components such as car seat clinics.

"California is one of 34 states requiring the use of booster seats for older children, and one of 16 states that includes an educational component in its law that provides funding for public health education about the importance of car safety seats for children," said Alice Bisno, the Auto Club's vice president for legislative affairs. "All children under 6 years old or under 60 pounds are required to ride in an age-appropriate safety seat or booster seat in this state."

To provide incentives for parents to use booster seats, the Auto Club is distributing nearly 8,000 coupons from Babies "R" Us that offer a $10 discount on any booster seat over $40. The coupons are available at all Auto Club offices and are valid through April at any Babies "R" Us retail location. The coupons are attached to a flyer available in both English and Spanish that includes correct steps for child occupant protection until the child is tall enough to use the adult seat belt by himself or herself.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is an independent, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization established in 1947 by AAA. The AAA Foundation's mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce the impact when they do occur. "Effects of Interventions to Increase Use of Booster Seats in Motor Vehicles for 4-8 Year Olds" along with all AAA Foundation reports are available online at www.aaafoundation.org.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing and buying programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa.com.

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