An Investigation on Child Occupant Safety in Passenger Vehicles Based on Accident Data from Changsha, China

The objective of this study is to determine the traffic safety situation of child occupants in the urban areas of Changsha, China. For this purpose, accident data were collected from the local traffic police authority. The selected samples have been dated from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2010, durich which 1,629 traffic accidents involving children occurred in Changsha. A total of 331 child occupants up to 15 years of age were identified in these accidents. A statistical analysis was then conducted in terms of the accident type, accident scenario, child age, gender, injury region, and injury severity. The results indicate that the side impact is the most common accident scenario in the child occupant accidents, accounting for 45% of all the cases. The major type of the accidents is the double-vehicle crashes in which passenger vehicles account for 73.4%. No child restraint system (CRS) was identified in the selected accidents. The head and extremity injuries have a high frequency in the child injuries. With the implementation of safey regulations, common knowledge about the traffic safety for child occupants should be strengthen, and CRS will be required in cars to protect child occupants.