Developing Motor Vehicle Occupant Protection Programs in Local Health Departments

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young people in America and a major national health threat. Unfortunately most crash victims do not use safety belts or child safety seats which could reduce or eliminate their injuries. This article describes how motor vehicle occupant protection issues have been introduced into local health departments in Michigan and how several of these health departments have developed programs to increase the proper use of child safety seats and safety belts in their communities. Of the many counter measures available to reduce trauma from traffic accidents, one which has great potential for success is the use of safety belts and car safety seats. Numerous studies of accident injury and death have been conducted over the past 20 years which invariably conclude that deaths and injuries could have been significantly reduced had the victims correctly used the safety restraints available to them. ’ I Traditionally, motor vehicle safety issues including the use of safety belts and car seats were considered strictly traffic safety problems. In the late 1970s, health profes-sionals began to identify trauma from automobile crashes as a major national health problem. This new emphasis from a profession other than traffic safety or law en