Child occupant safety patterns and practices in the United Arab Emirates

This study was a cross-sectional survey using stratified random sampling conducted between 2021 to 2022 to assess the prevalence of child restraint system (CRS) use following the introduction of child passenger legislation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and to identify the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal factors associated with CRS use using the Social Ecological Model (SEM). Parents and carers of children younger than 13 years completed a self-reported questionnaire (n = 409). Backward logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with CRS use, appropriate use, misuse, and best practice CRS use (BP) among child occupants. Results indicate that only 44.3% of parents ‘always’ restrained their child while travelling in a vehicle, 49.0% restrained their child appropriately, 21.4% had no CRS misuse while restraining their child, and 9.0% achieved BP CRS use. At the individual level, parental seatbelt use was associated with CRS use, BP CRS use, and CRS misuse, while parental perception regarding their child’s happiness to be restrained using a CRS was associated with CRS use at the interpersonal level. Frequency of CRS removal from the vehicle was associated with CRS use and CRS misuse. Reason for CRS use were associated with CRS use. Factors including child age and restraint type were associated with appropriate CRS use. The findings of the current study should be translated into targeted interventions to promote CRS use, appropriate use, and BP use as well as reducing CRS misuse at the different levels of the SEM.