6th Jan 2020
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang
MP for Nee Soon GRC
Question No. 1522
To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether hospitals collect data on the number of children injured in motor accidents as a result of not being secured in child seats; (b) if so, what is the number and percentage of children involved in such accidents in each of the past 10 years with a breakdown according to the age groups of (i) below one year old (ii) between one and two years old and (iii) above two years old; and (c) if not, whether hospitals will start collecting such data.
Written Answer
1 Based on data[1] from the National Trauma Registry, between 2012 and 2018, the number of children aged 9 years and below[2] who were treated in public hospitals for traumatic injury due to a motor vehicular accident ranged between 106 and 225 cases per year. We are not able to ascertain from the Registry’s data whether children injured in motor vehicular accidents were a direct result of them not being secured in child car seats and/or seatbelts.
Table 1: Number of children aged 9 years and below treated in public hospitals for traumatic injuries due to motor vehicular accidents (2012-2018)*
| Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Below 1 year old | 27 | 26 | 21 | 31 | 20 | 14 | 24 |
| 1 to 2 years old | 37 | 41 | 53 | 33 | 36 | 22 | 13 |
| 3 to 9 years old | 117 | 149 | 151 | 139 | 94 | 70 | 85 |
| Total | 181 | 216 | 225 | 203 | 150 | 106 | 122 |
Source: National Trauma Registry
2 Among those treated in public hospitals, more than half were known to have used car seats and/or restraints, while the status of the remainder is unknown.
Table 2: Proportion of children aged 9 years and below treated in public hospitals for traumatic injuries due to motor vehicular accidents who were known to have used child car seats and/or seatbelts (2012-2018)*
| Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Below 1 year old | 37% | 38% | 52% | 58% | 45% | 50% | 58% |
| 1 to 2 years old | 49% | 56% | 58% | 64% | 58% | 32% | 54% |
| 3 to 9 years old | 56% | 58% | 60% | 58% | 56% | 53% | 55% |
Source: National Trauma Registry
3 Motorists and their passengers should use appropriate restraints at all times while riding in motor vehicles.
[1] Data available from 2012 when the National Trauma Registry was set up. Data on the use of child seat/seatbelt were based on reports by patients or parents.
[2] The law mandates that a person below 1.35 metres in height should be properly secured by an approved child restraint appropriate to their height and weight, or a body restraining seat belt when seated on a booster seat cushion or when using a seat with an approved adjustable seat belt when travelling in a motor vehicle. Reference: Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276) Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Wearing of Seat Belts) Rules 2011 S 688/2011. Based on height-for-age charts for boys and girls aged 4 to 18 years old, the median height-for-age is 1.35m at an age of 9 years. Source: Health Booklet, Health Promotion Board.