The effects of a mandatory child restraint law on injuries requiring hospitalization
L. H. Margolis, A. C. Wagenaar and W. Liu
Department of Public Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Using data on all inpatients in 16 Michigan hospitals from 1980 through
1985, the clinical effects of a mandatory child restraint law were
examined. Time-series analytic techniques revealed a 36% decline in
hospitalization for all injuries, with a 25% decline for head injuries, and
a 20% decline for extremity injuries for children younger than 4 years. In
addition, length of stay declined for children hospitalized secondary to
motor vehicle crashes. This study confirms the effectiveness of the child
restraint law in Michigan, previously demonstrated by analyses of police
records. Current hospital databases may be able to serve as one component
for the implementation of comprehensive injury surveillance systems.
