Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) may seem indomitable as they plow along, but despite their bulk, children who ride in them are no better protected than those riding in ordinary cars, a new study has found.

Writing in Pediatrics, researchers said they have found little difference in injuries when looking at crashes involving passenger cars and SUVs, which on average weigh 600 kg or more. The lead author of the study was Dr Lauren Daly of the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware.

Many parents believe that SUVs are safer and buy them to protect their children, the researchers noted. “Our sense was that most people have been assuming they were safer ? and, frankly, we were, too,” said Daly. This belief, however, was not borne out when the researchers looked at data from crashes in which almost 4,000 children were travelling in either SUVs or cars. Studies have shown that as a general rule, the bigger a car, the safer it is. But with SUVs, the new study reported, whatever benefits that come with the added weight are erased by the higher risk of rolling over.

While rolling over is a danger for both kinds of vehicles, rollovers occurred twice as often in SUVs, the study found, and children were three times as likely to be injured in rollovers than in other kinds of accidents. And while the researchers found that the use of proper restraining devices was important in all cars, it is especially important in SUVs because of the greater incidence of rollovers. (NYTNS)

3 car safety guidelines for parents

1 Each year hundreds of children are killed in car crashes and thousands more are injured seriously enough to go to the emergency room. Using car safety seats and seat belts correctly is the best way to prevent this from happening to your child. The “safest” seat is the one that fits your child’s size, is correctly installed, and is used properly every time you drive.

2 Always use a car safety seat, starting with your baby’s first ride home from the hospital. Never place a child in a rear-facing safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has an airbag. The safest place for kids to ride is in the back seat. Set an example — always wear your seat belt.

3 When shopping for a car safety seat, keep in mind that price doesn’t always matter. Higher prices can mean added features that may or may not make the seat easier to use. When you find a seat you like, try it out. Put your child in it and adjust the harnesses and buckles.