PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Nearly 70% of U.S. children in car crashes with a fatality were not using proper child passenger restraints, study finds

Improper child passenger restraints included premature transition to a less protective seat, riding in the front seat and riding without a seatbelt

2025-07-31
(Press-News.org) Despite national guidelines, state laws and known safety benefits of child passenger restraint systems (CRS), suboptimal practices were found in nearly 70% of children under 13 years old who were involved in car crashes with a fatality from 2011 to 2021, according to a study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.

“Given the continued problem of suboptimal child passenger safety practices among children across the country, there is a need for innovative, targeted programs to promote correct and consistent use of age-appropriate car seats, restraints and seating locations,” said lead author Arthi Kozhumam, MScGH, a PhD candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program in the Macy Lab at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

An average of three child fatalities and an estimated 429 child injuries occur each day as the result of motor vehicle crashes in the United States.

The study found that inappropriate child passenger safety practices were more common in children who were 4-7 and 8-12 years old, traveling with drivers from under-resourced communities (ie, with low or very low Child Opportunity Index), and across 75 county-level hotspots throughout the country.

“A novel contribution of this research is our finding of geographic concentrations of suboptimal child passenger safety practices. These areas can be targeted for interventions, especially in the most vulnerable age groups,” said senior author Michelle Macy, MD, MS, Director, Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation Center at Manne Research Institute at Lurie Children’s and Professor of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“The Child Opportunity Index also may provide a lens for targeted prioritization of educational interventions and deployment of passenger safety resources,” added Dr. Macy.

The study analyzed passenger safety practices in 50,000 children involved in a car crash with at least one fatality recorded in the national Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database – the largest available dataset. Researchers found that 36% of these children were prematurely transitioned to a less protective restraint, 20% were riding unrestrained and 15% were riding in the front seat. Additionally, 9% of children sitting in the front seat were also unrestrained.

The study furthermore revealed that stricter CRS laws and larger fines for first seat belt offense are significantly associated with lower odds of suboptimal child passenger safety practices.

“In addition to identifying individual factors and geographic areas that can be targeted for interventions, we show that state policy makes a huge difference in promoting safer transportation practices for child passengers,” said Dr. Macy.

At Lurie Children’s, the Buckle Up Program helps families stay informed and confident about car seat safety through education, resources and personalized support.

Dr. Macy holds the Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Research Professorship for the Director of Child Health Research at Lurie Children’s.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Understanding what makes some bladder cancers resistant to chemotherapy

2025-07-31
About one quarter of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) may be treated and derive a benefit with the current standard chemotherapy. To better understand why some tumors resist chemotherapy and identify better ways to treat those cancers, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have conducted a detailed molecular analysis of MIBC tumors. The results, published in Cell Reports Medicine, offer potential new ways to identify which patients will benefit from chemotherapy and reveal possible new treatment strategies. “One of our goals was to identify molecular markers in patient tumors that would help us predict which patients were ...

Protecting your beating heart

2025-07-31
You may have heard the phrase “my heart skipped a beat” when someone was talking about a romantic encounter. In truth, hearts that beat irregularly are dangerous for your health. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of irregular heartbeat, and over time, it can worsen and become a permanent condition, a severe disorder that’s the leading preventable cause of ischemic stroke, according to the NIH. Nicolae Moise, a research scientist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Ohio State University ...

The key to lowering your water bill may already be at your door

2025-07-31
Doorbell cameras are already used for home security. But what if they could save you money on your water bill?  Researchers from Texas A&M University have developed an innovative irrigation system that combines doorbell cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to make lawn irrigation more efficient. Their recently published paper details this sustainable irrigation system, dubbed ERIC by the researchers.  The ERIC system makes home irrigation smarter, leading to increased efficiency and sustainability. The study shows that ERIC can help users save ...

Saliva testing may reveal early signs of diabetes and obesity

2025-07-31
Measuring elevated levels of insulin in blood, called hyperinsulinemia, is a proven way to measure metabolic health and can show risk of developing future health concerns, including Type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Now, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has found that measuring insulin levels in saliva offers a non-invasive way to do the same test—without the need for needles or lab-based blood work. Dr. Jonathan Little, Professor with UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences, says that a simple spit ...

4D images show heat shield damage goes below the surface

2025-07-31
Rather than completely burning up when a spacecraft reenters Earth’s atmosphere, its heat shield’s outer surface is sacrificed to protect the rest of the vehicle. The carbon fibers decompose, dissipating the heat. It was assumed that this only happens on the surface, but in a recent study, researchers from The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and four other institutions gained new information about how the protective carbon fiber material evolves, not just at the surface, but beneath, where structural failure could occur and threaten the life of the vehicle. According ...

Hibernator “superpowers” may lie hidden in human DNA

2025-07-31
Animals that hibernate are incredibly resilient. They can spend months without food or water, muscles refusing to atrophy, body temperature dropping to near freezing as their metabolism and brain activity slow to a crawl. When they emerge from hibernation, they recover from dangerous health changes similar to those seen in type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke. New genetic research suggests that hibernating animals’ superpowers could lie hidden in our own DNA—and provides ...

Changes in diet drove physical evolution in early humans

2025-07-31
As early humans spread from lush African forests into grasslands, their need for ready sources of energy led them to develop a taste for grassy plants, especially grains and the starchy plant tissue hidden underground. But a new Dartmouth-led study shows that hominins began feasting on these carbohydrate-rich foods before they had the ideal teeth to do so. The study provides the first evidence from the human fossil record of behavioral drive, wherein behaviors beneficial for survival emerge before the physical adaptations that make it easier, the researchers report in Science. The study authors analyzed ...

Experts call for science- and evidence-based AI policy

2025-07-31
In a Policy Forum, Rishi Bommasani et al. argue that successful artificial intelligence (AI) policy must be grounded in solid evidence and scientific understanding rather than hype or political expediency. “AI policymaking should place a premium on evidence: Scientific understanding and systematic analysis should inform policy, and policy should accelerate evidence generation,” write Bommasani et al. Although developing sound AI policy hinges on clearly defining and effectively using credible evidence, the authors ...

Challenges in governing rapidly emerging marine-climate interventions

2025-07-31
In a Review, Tiffany Morrison and colleagues discuss the risks associated with rapidly emerging marine-climate intervention approaches. Because current governance systems are ill-suited to the scale and novelty of these new interventions, the authors argue, new regulatory frameworks are urgently needed to balance risk and reward, avoid harm, and ensure that ocean-based climate solutions are safe, equitable, and effective. Rapid climate-driven changes are occurring in marine ecosystems worldwide. As ...

Slowdown in protein translation drives aging in the killifish brain

2025-07-31
Aging selectively impairs the production of crucial DNA- and RNA-binding proteins, which contributes to hallmarks of aging in the brains of killifish, according to a new study. The findings advance our understanding of the relationship between aging and the risk of pathologies including neurodegenerative disease. “A critical next step will be to determine whether these mechanisms are conserved in mammals, particularly in humans, where translational control is intricately linked to neurodegeneration and other age-associated diseases,” ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

High Mountain Asia’s shrinking glaciers linked to monsoon changes

All DRII-ed up: How do plants recover after drought?

Research on stigma says to just ‘shake it off’

Scientists track lightning “pollution” in real time using NASA satellite

Millions of women rely on contraceptives, but new Rice study shows they may do more than just prevent pregnancy

Hot days make for icy weather, Philippine study finds

Roxana Mehran, MD, receives the most prestigious award given by the European Society of Cardiology

World's first clinical trial showing lubiprostone aids kidney function

Capturing language change through the genes

Public trust in elections increases with clear facts

Thawing permafrost raised carbon dioxide levels after the last ice age

New DNA test reveals plants’ hidden climate role

Retinitis pigmentosa mouse models reflect pathobiology of human RP59

Cell’s ‘antenna’ could be key to curing diseases

Tiny ocean partnership between algae and bacteria reveals secrets of evolution

Scientists uncover cellular “toolkit” to reprogram immune cells for cancer therapy

Blocking protein control pathway slows rhabdomyosarcoma growth in mice

2026 Hertz Fellowship Application Now Open

The gut immune system is altered in mouse model of Alzheimer’s, providing a new target for therapeutics

ADHD drugs are being prescribed too quickly to preschoolers

UCLA scientists develop off-the-shelf immunotherapy for metastatic kidney cancer

Extreme heat linked to spike in domestic violence calls in New Orleans, study finds

Mount Sinai-Duke University study identifies DNA variants that increase testosterone production in PCOS patients

Physiology-guided complete revascularization in older patients with myocardial infarction

Metals and sulfate in air pollution mixture may contribute most to asthma hospitalizations

Understanding the profound yet hidden effects of neglect on white matter structures

SEOULTECH researchers develop revolutionary 3D-printed smart materials create high-performance pressure sensors for wearables

Pusan National University scientists develop self-deploying material for next-gen robotics

Remote screening for asymptomatic atrial fibrillation

Inflammation may explain why women with no standard modifiable risk factors have heart attacks and strokes

[Press-News.org] Nearly 70% of U.S. children in car crashes with a fatality were not using proper child passenger restraints, study finds
Improper child passenger restraints included premature transition to a less protective seat, riding in the front seat and riding without a seatbelt