Child restraint orientation: Accuracy of information on Japanese websites.

BACKGROUND: Child restraints provide maximum protection when used appropriately, but seat orientation (rear- or forward-facing) according to child development is often misunderstood, and the information provided can be inaccurate. This study examined the accuracy of information in Japanese on seat orientation found on the Internet.

METHODS: We searched websites in Japanese on Google regarding information on recommended seat orientation for young children and examined the first 50 sites based on the search rankings for the criteria on when to allow children to ride in forward-facing seats.

RESULTS: None of the examined websites included information that was consistent with the recommendation of the Japan Pediatric Society (i.e. age must be at least 1 year old and weight, at least 10 kg). The most common mistake was that weight alone could determine timing.

CONCLUSIONS: More vigorous efforts are needed to disseminate evidence-based information about seat orientation to protect child passengers.