Buckle Me Up!: A Digital Emergency Department Discharge Intervention for Child Car Safety

This study explores the utility of a tablet computer-based, individually-tailored application called Computer Intervention Authoring Software (CIAS) in the Emergency Department for discharge education on proper child car restraint safety. The investigators hypothesize that tablet-based, individually-tailored discharge instructions are more effective than current standard, one-size-fits-all, printed discharge instructions. This is a randomized, controlled, non-blinded trial of of children age 0-21 years old in the Emergency Department. Patients will be randomized to receive either (a) a brief tablet-based questionnaire followed by standard, paper discharge instructions or (b) a brief tablet-based questionnaire followed by the intervention - CIAS, a tablet-based computer program. One week after discharge, participants in both groups will receive an automatic text message and/or email message with a link to a web-based survey that will assess: knowledge of appropriate car restraints and whether the parent/patient engaged in any behavioral changes regarding child car restraint. These variables will be compared between the control and intervention groups.