During the five-year period of 1997-2001, 1,985 child passengers died and an estimated 87,226 were injured in alcohol-related crashes. Sixty-eight (68) percent of the deaths and 38 percent of the injuries occurred among children who were riding in the same vehicle with the drinking driver. Of the children who died while riding in the same vehicle with the drinking driver, only 29 percent were known to have been restrained (restraint use was unknown for another 9 percent of child passenger deaths). As the BAC of the child’s driver increased, child restraint use decreased. Although restraint use in this group of children remains unacceptably low, restraint use has increased in recent years. The May 2000 JAMA study found that only 18 percent of children who were riding with the drinking driver at the time of the crash were known to have been restrained. The increase in restraint use seen among child passenger deaths is consistent with the increase in child restraint use over time in the general population. Strong enforcement of child safety seat laws and passage of primary enforcement seat belt laws in all states could further reduce child passenger deaths. The safety benefits of stricter enforcement of restraint laws may be even greater for children who are transported by drinking drivers because these drivers are known to have higher rates of serious crashes. During the five-year period of 1997-2001, 58 percent of the alcohol-related crashes in which a child passenger died while riding with the drinking driver occurred during daytime or evening hours (6AM to 9PM). This finding adds further support for the need to increase high visibility enforcement of child safety seat, primary seat belt, and DUI/DWI laws, especially during daytime hours. The MADD child endangerment panel of experts agreed that there is not any empirical research that has been done to determine scientifically if child endangerment laws that have been enacted have reduced alcohol-related deaths and injuries among child passengers. Funding for research needs to be acquired to evaluate the effectiveness of current child endangerment laws.
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