Motor vehicle childhood injuries caused by noncrash falls and ejections.

In a sample of children aged 0 through 14 years who were treated for injuries incurred in a motor vehicle accident, a large proportion of those involved in noncrash events fell or were ejected from the vehicle. This study was designed to describe the patterns of passenger travel, precipitating causes, and severity of injury in noncrash falls or ejections. The data were obtained from a larger ongoing hospital-based monitoring system. The Abbreviated Injury Scale was used to grade injuries. Over 50% of those ejected sustained serious injuries compared with 5% of those who remained in the vehicle. Two high-risk patterns emerged: (1) the young child traveling in a passenger seat falling out of the vehicle, and (2) the older child riding on the exterior of the vehicle and falling off during a vehicle maneuver. Door locks, restraint use, and prohibition of travel in nonpassenger locations would prevent these serious noncrash injuries.