Washington, Oct 10 - Car crashes are a leading cause of death among children despite the widespread availability of child safety seats.

However, even when provided with free child passenger restraint systems (CPRSs), many people do not make them a part of their daily routine, according a new study.

Researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (MCW-M) conducted a community-based study in which a certified car seat technician and educated caregivers of more than 100 low-income, minority and urban children participated.

They learnt how to choose and install appropriate CPRS based on their child's age, height and weight.

While the rate of appropriate restraint soared to 85 percent soon after receiving the free CPRS and 30-minute training session with a technician, it declined to 65 percent over the next nine months.

Older children were less likely to be restrained properly than younger children, suggesting that interventions focused on reaching families with children before it is time to transition them into a booster seat might be most effective.

The underlying reasons why caregivers do not use CPRS in daily routines are not clear, but factors such as difficulties in having multiple caregivers transport the same child in multiple vehicles may play a part.

A better understanding of these reasons is important in developing interventions to increase appropriate use of CPRS, says an MCW-M release.

Suzanne Brixey, MCW-M assistant professor of paediatrics, who led the study, said: "Interventions that target entire families and reinforce recently learned child-safety behaviours would also be beneficial."

These findings were published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal. (IANS)