제  목 : NEW SURVEY REVEALS INFANTS CONTINUE TO BE PLACED IN HARMS WAY
  일  자 : 1998년 07월
  제공처 : Internet

     NEW SURVEY REVEALS INFANTS CONTINUE TO BE PLACED IN HARMS WAY
 DESPITE UNIVERSAL AWARENESS OF AIR BAG RISKS TO CHILDREN

   As Many as 175,000 Infants Continue to be Placed in Danger in the
                           Front Seat

(Washington, DC) - Ninety-nine percent of parents with children under age one
say they have heard about the risks air bags pose to children. Although most
have heard and are heeding the warnings, alarmingly, 11 percent of parents who
regularly transport an infant in a vehicle equipped with a passenger air bag
continue to place babies in the front seat - amounting to as many as 175,000
babies at serious risk. That's according to a survey released today by the Air
Bag ＆ Seat Belt Safety Campaign.

While the overall rate of child deaths associated with air bags has declined
by 50 percent and there are encouraging signs that more drivers are properly
restraining children in the back seat, too many children are continuing to
die. Infants under one year of age account for roughly in 1 in 12 of the
children at risk; yet they account for about 1 in 5 of the child deaths. To
date, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
investigations, of the 63 children who died in crashes involving air bags, 13
were babies riding in infant seats in the front seat. Investigations also
indicate that almost all of these infants were five months old or younger.

"Infants should NEVER, ever ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a
passenger air bag," said Janet Dewey, Executive Director of the Air Bag ＆ Seat
Belt Safety Campaign. "An air bag comes out of the dashboard in the blink of
an eye with great force. Riding up front in an infant seat, a baby's fragile
head and neck are always too close to the deploying air bag in the event of a
crash."

The survey also reveals that drivers who don't wear their seat belts are 50
percent more likely to not restrain babies properly. And drivers most likely
to place their babies at risk tend to be younger, have less formal education
and live in the South.

In addition, the research shows that parents are more likely to follow proper
safety procedures as their children age: Fully one quarter of parents
incorrectly place infants ages one to three months old in the front seat,
while only eight percent put ten to 12 month-old infants in the front seat.

"Our investigations indicate that all but one of the infants killed by an air
bag related injury were five months old and younger," said Dr. Ricardo
Martinez, Administrator at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA). "That is why at NHTSA, we're working with the Air Bag ＆ Seat Belt
Safety Campaign and other organizations to step up outreach to new and
expectant parents."

The Air Bag ＆ Seat Belt Safety Campaign and NHTSA are conducting aggressive
outreach to new and expectant parents through organizations like the American
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the American
College of Nurse-Midwives, Lamaze, the American Association of Health Plans,
the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the National
Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, National Association
of WIC Directors and many others.

The survey also shows that 20 percent of parents with and without air bag
equipped vehicles report not properly restraining their infants - 15 percent
report putting infants in the front seat and five percent report that they do
not put infants in an infant safety seat at all. Since crashes are the leading
cause of death to children and the back is the safest place for children to
ride, with or without an air bag - nearly 800,000 children are at increased
risk in a crash.

"We think some parents believe the risk of not seeing a baby is greater than
the risk of injury in a crash. That's just wrong." said Joseph R. Zanga, M.D.,
FAAP, American Academy of Pediatrics President. "Parents must understand that
automobile crashes are the leading cause of injury to our children. The safest
way for pre-adolescent children to ride - including babies - is properly
restrained in the back seat."

The risks air bags pose to children are entirely eliminated when children ride
properly restrained in the back seat. Crashes are the leading cause of death
to children. With or without an air bag, children are safer in the back.
Studies show that, even in vehicles without air bags, the death rate to
children drops by one third when kids ride properly restrained in the back
seat.

The Air Bag ＆ Seat Belt Safety Campaign, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and American Academy of Pediatrics remind parents to follow
these safety guidelines:

     Infants should never ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
     air bag.
     Babies should ride in rear-facing infant seats in the back seat until at
     least age one AND at least 22 pounds.
     All children 12 and under should ride properly restrained in the back
     seat in age and size appropriate child safety seats.
     Parents should check their vehicle owner's manual and the instructions
     provided with their child safety seat for correct use information.


This was a study of 200 parents of infants conducted by Public Opinion
Strategies March 19-23, 1998 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.9
percent in 95 out of 100 cases.

The Air Bag ＆ Seat Belt Safety Campaign is a public/private partnership of
automotive manufacturers, insurance companies, child safety seat
manufacturers, occupant restraint manufacturers, government agencies, health
professionals and child health and safety organizations. The goal of the
Campaign is to increase the proper use of safety belts and child safety seats
and to inform the public about how to maximize the lifesaving capabilities of
air bags while minimizing the risks.

     A not-for-profit, nongovernmental public service organization
          1121 Spring Lake Drive, Itasca, IL 60143-3201
             Tel: (630) 285-1121; Fax: (630) 285-1315