Child passengers injured in motor vehicle crashes

• Estimation of the number and prevalence of children aged 0–14 involved in non-fatal crashes in the U.S.
• Information was obtained from the General Estimates System (GES).
• About 1% of the non-injured children had been driven by a driver who was reported as positive for alcohol.
• This percentage climbed to about 2% among children who had suffered injuries.
• The proportion of drivers with children who sped or failed to obey a traffic signal was higher than that positive for alcohol.

IntroductionDuring 2010, 171,000 children aged 0–14 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Despite the severity of the problem, research has been limited, and most of what we know about these children emanates from fatal crash databases.MethodUsing information from the General Estimates System, this effort examines the occurrence of non-fatal crashes among children aged 0–14 over the last decade.ResultsWe found that about 1% of the non-injured children in the file had been driven by a driver who was positive for alcohol. This percentage climbed to about 2% among children who had suffered injuries. Compared with the proportion of alcohol-positive drivers at the time of the crash, the proportion of drivers who sped or failed to obey a traffic signal was significantly higher.Practical applicationsThe finding that drinking and driving with children did not decrease over time questions the adequacy of the extant child endangerment laws.