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Published on: June 20, 2020
Pedestrian injuries to children younger than 5 years of age
D G Winn1, P F Agran, D N Castillo
1Public Policy Research Organization, University of California, Irvine 92717.
Insights
Pediatric pedestrian injuries differ between toddlers and preschoolers. Age-specific interventions are needed to prevent these injuries in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric injury prevention
- Child development and behavior
- Traffic safety research
Background:
- Previous research often grouped children under 5 years old together for pediatric pedestrian injury analysis.
- Developmental and behavioral differences in younger children were not adequately addressed in prior studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate pediatric pedestrian injury circumstances between toddlers (0-2 years) and preschoolers (3-4 years).
- To inform the development of targeted, age-specific injury prevention strategies for children under 5.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of pediatric pedestrian injury data, stratifying children into two distinct age groups: toddlers and preschoolers.
- Comparison of injury event circumstances, locations, and causes between the two age cohorts.
Main Results:
- Toddlers (0-2 years) sustained more non-traffic-related injuries, often involving backing vehicles in driveways.
- Preschoolers (3-4 years) were more frequently injured in traffic incidents, frequently while crossing residential streets unsupervised.
- Significant differences in injury scenarios highlight distinct risks for each age group.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric pedestrian injuries exhibit distinct patterns for toddlers and preschoolers due to developmental and behavioral variations.
- Implementing age-specific interventions is crucial for effectively reducing pedestrian injuries in children under five.
- Targeted strategies addressing driveway incidents for toddlers and street-crossing risks for preschoolers are recommended.
Abstract:
Historically, research on pediatric pedestrian injuries has analyzed children younger than 5 years of age as a single group. However, in this study, these children were divided into two age groups which were reflective of differences in behavior and development. The data demonstrate differences in the circumstances of the pedestrian injury events between toddlers (0 through 2 years and ambulatory) and preschoolers (3- and 4-year-olds). Toddlers were more likely to be injured in nontraffic events whereas preschoolers were more frequently injured in traffic situations. A high proportion of toddler injuries occurred in residential driveways and were caused by vehicles backing up. The majority of preschoolers, often without supervision, were injured while crossing/darting midblock on residential streets near their homes. Reflecting these differences in circumstances and also developmental differences between toddlers and preschool children, there is a need for age-specific interventions to reduce pedestrian injuries in children younger than 5 years of age.
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