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Children and road traffic injuries: can't the world do better?
Qingfeng Li1, Olakunle Alonge1, Adnan A Hyder1
1Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
Insights
Globally, over 186,000 children die annually from road traffic injuries (RTI), with higher risks for males and children in low-income countries. Urgent implementation of road safety interventions is needed to reduce child mortality.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Health
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Road traffic injuries (RTI) represent a significant global child health issue, causing over 186,000 deaths annually in individuals under 18.
- RTI is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 35.2% of global child fatalities.
- Socioeconomic disparities exacerbate the problem, with 95% of child RTI deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), disproportionately affecting children from impoverished households.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the substantial burden of road traffic injuries on child mortality worldwide.
- To identify key demographic and socioeconomic factors contributing to child deaths from RTI.
- To emphasize the need for implementing and validating existing road safety interventions in LMIC.
Main Methods:
- This study synthesizes global data on child mortality due to road traffic injuries.
- Analysis includes age-specific mortality rates, regional disparities (focusing on sub-Saharan Africa), and gender-based differences.
- Socioeconomic factors, particularly the impact of low- and middle-income countries and household poverty, are examined.
Main Results:
- Globally, 186,300 children under 18 die from RTI each year.
- RTI is the leading cause of death for older children and adolescents (15-17 years) and a significant cause for younger age groups.
- Male children face double the risk of death from RTI compared to females, and 95% of these deaths occur in LMIC.
Conclusions:
- Road traffic injuries pose a critical and growing threat to child survival, especially in LMIC.
- Existing intervention strategies, such as those from the Decade of Action for Road Safety, require urgent validation and implementation.
- Achieving Sustainable Development Goals necessitates strengthened political will, advocacy, funding, and multisectoral collaboration to protect children from RTI.
Abstract:
Road traffic injuries (RTI) impose a substantial health burden among children. Globally, 186 300 children (under 18 years) die from RTI each year. It is the fourth leading cause of death among children aged 5-9 years, third among children aged 10-14 years and first among children aged 15-17 years. At the regional level, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 35.2% of global child deaths caused by RTI; that number is still increasing. Male children are about two times more likely to die due to RTI than female children. RTI are also related to socioeconomic inequalities; low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) account for 95% of global child RTI deaths, and children from poor households are more likely to fall victims to RTI. Intervention strategies promoted in the five pillars of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 are available to prevent mortality and morbidity caused by RTI, though validation and implementation of such interventions are urgently needed in the LMIC. Through concerted efforts to cultivate strong political will, build action and advocacy capacity, increase global funding and enhance multisectoral collaboration promoted by the Sustainable Development Goals, the world is challenged to do better in saving children from RTI.
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