FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JAN 22, 2009

ST. JOHN’S RELEASES FINDINGS FROM TRAUMA STUDY

RESTRAINT USE PROVES EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING INJURIES

A 2006 law strengthening Missouri’s child passenger safety law is paying off according to St. John’s Trauma Center. The region's only Level I Trauma Center recently completed a four year study of pediatric trauma patients admitted due to motor vehicle crashes.  The study looked at restraint use in comparison to injury rates, injury patterns, injury types and severity of injuries.

“St. John’s has a comprehensive injury prevention program.  That means we provide injury prevention education specific to the injury trends that we see in our trauma center,” according to Pam Holt, Trauma Prevention Coordinator at St. John’s, “motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of trauma admission to St. John’s and one of the nation’s leading killers for everyone ages 1 through 44. We use the specific information from the study to create effective injury prevention interventions,” said Holt.

This Missouri Booster Seat Law is an example of such interventions. Holt helped author the bill after data from the Trauma Center showed a high injury rate for children who were not restrained in booster seats.  On August 28, 2006 the Missouri Booster Seat Law went into effect, which requires all children between the ages of 4-7 years to ride in a belt positioning booster seat unless they weigh 80 pounds or are 4’9” tall. 

The most recent study shows St. John’s Trauma Center has seen a 23% decrease in the number of pediatric patients admitted due to motor vehicle crashed compared to the two year period immediately prior to the law (Sep 1, 2004-Aug. 31,2006). The greatest decrease, 29%, was in the 4-7 year old range.

“This decrease is similar to data in trauma centers in other states where booster seat laws have been enacted. Not only are we seeing fewer injuries, we are seeing a reduction in the severity of injuries.  Specifically, there has been a reduction in the injuries caused by the seatbelt in the targeted age group.  Neck and back injuries have been reduced by 67% in the period after the law while abdominal injuries were reduced by almost 30%”

While the study shows a decrease in injury for children ages 4-7, additional findings from the study show an increase in trauma for children aged 8-15 or children not riding in a booster seat.

“The best practice for children is to ride in a booster seat until they are 4’9” tall.  The law only requires children to ride in a booster seat until age 8, 80 pounds or 4’9” tall, whichever comes first.  This data tells me that if children would ride in a booster seat as long as possible (4’9” tall) then more children would be spared serious injury. A child usually reaches 4’9” tall between the ages of 10 and 12 years old.”

The study also included data regarding restraint use and children.

• 8 out of 10 children that do not wear a seat belt present with some form of head or face injury
• 8-12 year olds have a 92% chance of an extremity injury if they do not wear their seatbelt
• 13-15 year olds that do not wear their seat belts have a 200% greater chance of sustaining a chest injury when involved in a car crash than someone who is wearing a seatbelt
• 13-15 year olds also have 42% decrease risk of head injury and a 49% decreased risk of chest injuries when they where their seatbelt

“We know that wearing a seatbelt is the single most effective thing a person can do to prevent injury and death in a car crash.  Strengthening Missouri’s occupant protection laws is an effective intervention in reducing injury and death”

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM

With three full-time hospital-based injury prevention coordinators, St. John’s is a leader in injury prevention in Missouri. St. John’s/Kohl's Injury Prevention Program is committed to injury prevention education to decrease the amount of injuries to the people in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. St. John's is the proud leader of Safe Kids Springfield.
 

Injury prevention staff travels to area schools, public events and other venues to provide education on topics such as bicycle safety, burn and fire safety, child passenger safety, ATV safety, home safety and motor vehicle/driving safety with a specific emphasis on teen driving. Drunken-driving docudramas and mock car crashes are included in the curriculum.

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FOR MEDIA INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ST. JOHN’S MEDIA RELATIONS AT 820-2171 or angela.garrison@mercy.net.