New road safety research from the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE), has found evidence of the dangers children are exposed to when their parents fail to use a child restraint, or use a child seat incorrectly. RACE designed an accident questionnaire in collaboration with the Spanish traffic police and the traffic directorate, in order to improve reporting of accidents involving child restraints. The survey, conducted with financial support from the FIA Foundation, examined the police reports from more than 700 accidents and found that only 37% of parents involved in crashes were using child restraints. Unrestrained children suffered 2.5 times more serious injuries than appropriately restrained children, and 1.8 more than inappropriately restrained children. The report was published by RACE at the International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) in Japan in May 2003.
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