Road Traffic Injuries: A New Agenda for Child Health

This article reports on a literature review of research related to morbidity and mortality in South Asian children due to road traffic injuries (RTIs), almost all of which are preventable. Children 0 to 15 years old are the second most common group to experience RTIs (males 15-44 years old are the most common group). Fatality rates for children under the age of 5 years are approximately six times higher in South Asia than in the developed world. Most injuries in low income countries occur in urban areas, where pedestrians, passengers, and cyclists account for nearly 90% of deaths due to RTIs. The authors propose that this higher fatality among pedestrians is due to wider traffic mix and lack of safe pedestrian walking areas. The authors consider the financial impact of this situation and comment on the lack of reliable vital statistics in South Asia; this leads to an underestimation of the magnitude of RTIs that hampers efforts for its acceptance as a preventable public health problem. The authors outline possible steps to creating a safer environment, including the use of child passenger restraints, bicycle helmets, education campaigns, legislation and implementation of traffic rules and regulations, road engineering, and the creation of safe pedestrian areas.

• Availability:
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• Authors:
  • Qureshi, Asma Fozia
  • Bose, Anuradha
  • Anjum, Qudsia
• Publication Date: 2004-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 719-721
• Serial:
  • Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons-Pakistan
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue Number: 12
  • Publisher: College of Physicians and Surgeons-Pakistan
  • ISSN: 1022-386X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycle helmets; Child restraint systems; Children; Crash injuries; Developing countries; Fatalities; Pedestrians; Policy, legislation and regulation; Public health; Risk analysis; Safety campaigns; Safety education
• Geographic Terms: South Asia
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Education and Training; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01010596
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 18 2005 6:32AM