Parental practice of child car safety in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Child safety restraints and seat belts are regarded as the most successful safety and cost-effective protective devices available to vehicle occupants, which have saved millions of lives. This cross-sectional descriptive study evaluated the practice and use of child car restraints (CCRs) among 458 purposively selected respondents resident in two local government areas in Enugu State, Nigeria. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to parents of children attending private schools who owned a car. Chi-square and multivariate analyses were used to assess the determinants of the use of car restraints in children among respondents. In all, 56% and 45% of adults and children, respectively, used car restraints regularly. The awareness of child safety laws and actual use of age-appropriate CCRs among respondents was negatively and weakly correlated (r=−0.121, P=0.310). Only respondent’s use of seat belt during driving (P=0.001) and having being cautioned for non-use of CCRs (P=0.005) maintained significance as determinants of the use of CCRs in cars on multivariate analysis. The most frequent reasons given for the non-use of CCRs included the child being uncomfortable, 64 (31%); restraints not being important, 53 (26%), and restraints being too expensive, 32 (15%). Similarly, for irregular users, exceptions for non-use included the child being asleep (29%), inadequate number of CCRs (22%), and the child being sick (18%). There is a need for a strategy change to enforce the use of CCRs in Nigeria.

Parental knowledge and beliefs on the use of child car restraints in Singapore: a qualitative study

“…(20,21,(23)(24)(25) In upper-middle-and lowermiddle-income countries, (31) common themes also included the cost of obtaining a CCR as a barrier, in addition to lack of knowledge and difficult child behaviour. (16)(17)(18)(19)22,26,27) Cultural practices in different parts of the world may explain some of the patterns and responses that were seen. In China and Korea, as in Singapore, some parents and grandparents prefer to hold their babies in their arms.…”

“…(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27) These studies found that parental non-compliance to the use of CCRs is multifactorial. Several potential reasons were identified, ranging from knowledge deficits on the importance of CCRs in the event of a collision (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27) to practical barriers, such as facing difficult behaviour when the child refuses to stay in the car restraint (18,21,(23)(24)(25)27) and the prohibitive cost of the car restraint. (19)(20)22,27) The question arises of whether the same factors influence parents' decisions on whether to use child car restraints in Singapore.…”

“…Several potential reasons were identified, ranging from knowledge deficits on the importance of CCRs in the event of a collision (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27) to practical barriers, such as facing difficult behaviour when the child refuses to stay in the car restraint (18,21,(23)(24)(25)27) and the prohibitive cost of the car restraint. (19)(20)22,27) The question arises of whether the same factors influence parents' decisions on whether to use child car restraints in Singapore. We aimed to understand the knowledge, beliefs and difficulties experienced by Singapore parents on this issue.…”

Recognition and interpretation of road signs by commercial drivers in Enugu Nigeria

“…Although these studies reported poor knowledge of road signs among commercial drivers; they did not compare knowledge of road signs between intra-city and inter-city commercial drivers. 2,6 Drivers who were married were significantly more likely to have good knowledge of road signs compared to those that are single (unmarried, divorced or separated). The reason is not clear but may be connected with the added responsibility that comes with marriage knowing that they have dependents which they should endeavor to live and take care of.…”

“…5 In Nigeria, children account for 21% of all road traffic injury-related deaths and road traffic deaths ranked ahead of the most important causes of infant deaths such as neonatal sepsis, preterm birth complications, proteinenergy malnutrition, neonatal encephalopathy, and meningitis. 5,6 It has also killed more than three times as many adults as maternal disorders and almost twice as many people as tuberculosis. 5 According to the Federal Road Safety Command (FRSC) Enugu State Sector command, in 2017, 758 road traffic accidents (RTAs) occurred in Enugu State, with 115 fatalities.…”