Protecting Children & the Elderly in a Car Crash

by Lori Cunningham

This post is a part of a larger series stemming from my participation in the Forward with Ford symposium I attended* at Ford, just outside of Detroit.

Dr. Steward Wang is a Trauma Surgeon and Car Safety Activist who works in a trauma center in Detroit.  Dr. Wang has seen and studied a large number of car crash victims from babies to adults to the elderly.  Because of their different bone structures, accidents can affect young children and elderly differently than adults.

The younger the child or older the adult, the higher number of injuries they will incur.

This trend is likely to get worse over the next several decades as baby boomers continue to age.

Newborns have a head that is twice the depth, length and height than the average adult.  This is why the infant needs to be seated rear facing.  If faced forward, the head would not be restrained and possibly pulled off.

The best time to turn a child’s carseat around is when they are too large to sit in the rear facing position.  The current recommendation is age one, but Dr. Wang feels keep children seated rear facing as long as possible.

Child safety seats are important to hold kids’ bodies down and spread the pressure in better protected areas during an accident.

Dr. Wang strongly recommends using booster seats as long as possible…even up to age 11 if need be.  In our culture,  you’re considered a baby if you’re in a booster seat.  Dr. Wang sees kids all the time who were injured.  Having no booster seat causes the seatbelt to slide past a child’s pelvis, thus causing injury to their internal organs.  Putting their shoulder belt under their arm, causes some awful injuries too, Dr. Wang noted.  When your kid complains about getting out of the booster seat, it’s a good time to talk to them about safety and show them the data.  Teaching your children about safety and statistics now is a good jump start for when you share car safety concerns in their teens.

Today, 13% of our population over 65, but there will be 21% over the age of 65 in 2050.

As you get order, the risks of  upper body injury go up, as the chest is likely to be impacted.  Rib fractures are common.  Broken ribs can puncture the internal organs.

Not only do senior get more fragile as they age, recovery takes longer too.

Summary:

• Passengers at the extremes of age are more frail in crashes and need better protection.
• Vehicle safety has improved over the years, but much of the emphasis has been on front seat.
• Current baby and children laws are too lax.  It was even suggested that children be rear facing until age four as the head becomes better proportioned and less susceptible to head trauma.
• Emphasis on the elderly is imperative as our population grows older.  The number of older people driving will greatly outweigh younger drivers.

More from Forward with Ford:

• Forward with Ford:  Safety for All Ages
• 5 Tips When Talking to Your Teen about Car Safety
• Forward with Ford:  3 Days in Detroit

What concerns do you have about car safety?

*Ford paid my expenses for the flights and lodging.  All opinions are my own.