Rearward-facing child seats--the safest car restraint for children?

During recent years the use of child restraints in cars in Sweden has rapidly increased. The fact that the different restraint systems prevent injuries has been substantiated, as is shown in this paper. The major emphasis is put on the benefits of using rearward-facing child seats for children 0 to 4 years of age. Attitudes concerning child safety in cars and the misuse problem are also discussed. Based on Volvo's accident material it is shown that the injury-reducing effect of the rearward-facing child seat is superior to all present types of child restraints in cars. This paper is mainly based upon Volvo's own traffic accident material. This paper is based upon accidents that occurred between the years 1976 and 1988 and comprises some 13,000 accidents involving approximately 22,000 people. In 1,500 of these accidents at least one child (0 to 14 years) was present in the vehicle. In addition to the collection of accident data, separate attitude studies have been carried out, concerning child safety in cars.