Optimal Driving Conditions are the Most Common Injury Conditions for Child Pedestrians

This study examines the role of driving conditions on the occurrence of motor vehicle crashes involving child pedestrians. In the study, detailed information was abstracted for the period January 1994 to December 1999 from Philadelphia Police Department accident reports for all pediatric (under 18 years old) pedestrian crashes in a single, urban county. Data included pedestrian age, road and weather conditions, illumination, pedestrian location and intent, time of day, and date of incident. Findings showed that there were 3,823 children struck by motor vehicles during the period studied, representing an average of 1.7 per day and a rate of 181 crashes per 100,000 children per year. The vast majority of crashes occurred when the street was dry, with no adverse weather conditions and during daylight hours or under street lights. The most frequent day of the week was Friday and the most common time of day was 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. The spring months predominated. When the circumstances were known, children were struck crossing in midblock in 87.9% of cases and crossing behind a vehicle 38.8% of the time; only 4.8% were struck while playing in the street. Nearly 60% of crashes were judged to be minor in injury severity by the investigating officer. The fatality rate was 0.7%. These findings suggest that urban pediatric pedestrian crashes are common and that there is a strong correlation between child pedestrian injuries and the prevailing road and weather conditions. From a public health perspective, it is important that drivers be aware that optimal driving conditions also represent optimal conditions for child play and thus increased exposure for pediatric pedestrian injuries.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07495161
• Authors:
  • Nance, Michael L
  • Hawkins, Linda A
  • Branas, Charles C
  • Vivarelli-O'Neill, Cara
  • Winston, Flaura K
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 569-573
• Serial:
  • Pediatric Emergency Care
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • ISSN: 0749-5161
  • EISSN: 1535-1815
  • Serial URL: http://journals.lww.com/pec-online/pages/default.aspx

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Children; Crash injuries; Crash reports; Injury rates; Injury severity; Lighting; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrians; Periods of the day; Seasons; Traffic crashes; Urban areas; Weather conditions
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driving conditions
• Geographic Terms: Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; I81: Accident Statistics; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01000121
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 9 2005 9:43AM