Texts and talks in the ER boost child car safety
NCT ID NCT04238247
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested a program in the emergency department that uses counseling, a website, and text messages to help parents use the right car seats, booster seats, or seat belts for their children. Over 500 caregivers of children aged 6 months to 10 years took part. The goal was to see if the program helped children ride safely at 6 and 12 months later.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Behavioral intervention (counseling, website, text messages)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this program could help more parents use the correct car seats and boosters, reducing child injuries in car accidents.
- What could go wrong
- The study is completed but relied on caregiver reports, which may not be fully accurate. Results may not apply to all families or settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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513 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2020
- Finished
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Oct 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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6 months to 10 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Child refers to the child of the caregiver (parent/legal guardian) who is being evaluated for recruitment and participation in the study. Inclusion Criteria: * Child is age 6 months to 10 years old at screening * Child is seeking care in the Emergency Department (ED) for a non-critical injury or illness * Child sought emergency or urgent care at a study site * Caregiver/parent is the legal guardian of the child who is receiving or received emergency or urgent care at a study site * Child is less than 55 inches tall * Caregiver speaks English or Spanish * Caregiver is 18 years old or older * Caregiver screening survey responses indicate: child travels at least once per week in a passenger vehicle * AND child is able to use a standard car seat or booster seat (child restraint system) but is not using an age and size-appropriate child restraint system OR travels unrestrained OR sits in the vehicle front seat OR caregiver plans to stop using the age and size-appropriate restraint in the next 6 months (planned premature transition) Exclusion Criteria: * Caregiver does not understand/speak English or Spanish * Child is seeking/sought care for child abuse/neglect * Child is seeking/sought care that requires intensive psychosocial services * Child is seeking/sought treatment for a motor vehicle related injury * Child is too tall for study (height = \>55 inches tall) * Caregiver is under 18 years of age * Caregiver does not have a smart phone * Caregiver lives outside of the state of Illinois * Caregiver is already enrolled in this study * Caregiver completed the screen to determine eligibility for study in the past 6 months Exclusions applied only to in-person recruitment in the ED: * Child is seeking treatment for a new long-term diagnosis * Child has anticipated need for admission * Child is seeking care for a critical illness or injury
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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