INCREASING CAR SEAT USE FOR TODDLERS FROM INNER-CITY FAMILIES

Objectives. The purpose of this project was to increase toddler car se at use in low-income minority families. Methods. Families from Newark, NJ, were divided into two study groups. Both groups were given car se ats; one group also received education regarding car restraint use. Ob servations were made of car seat use before car seat distribution, imm ediately after distribution, 4 to 5 months later, and 1 year later. Re sults. Car seat use increased markedly immediately after distribution and remained high 1 year later, regardless of education. Conclusions. These results indicate that distributing car seats results in long-ter m use among a currently low-use population.