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Bless the Seats and the Children: The Physician and the Legislative Process

1984; American Medical Association; Volume: 252; Issue: 18 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1001/jama.1984.03350180067035

1538-3598

Robert Sanders,

Child and Adolescent Health

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death and injury for all children beyond infancy, 1 and more than 90% of children ride unprotected in automobiles. 2 Physicians have recognized that the current epidemic of highway casualties among our very young is essentially preventable and that state-by-state child restraint laws are the most practical approach to "immunizing" most of these children against their leading killer. Since the nation's first child-restraint legislation, the Tennessee Child Protection Act, was implemented in January 1978, 49 states have enacted similar laws. In each state, pediatricians and other physicians have played a key role in lobbying for this effort. This heartening experience should stimulate physicians of all specialties to consider extending these laws to protect older children and adults from the carnage witnessed daily on our streets and highways. The remarkable dividends resulting from the Tennessee law, as reported in this issue (p 2571)