Road traffic collisions involving children as pedestrians. Provisional results of a hospital-based study.

In December 1990 a study was undertaken at Red Cross Children's Hospital to examine the circumstances surrounding pedestrian injuries in children under the age of 13. The provisional results, based on the first 154 parental interviews, are reported here. There is a strong correlation between pedestrian injury and children playing or running errands in residential areas during day-light hours, particularly in the late afternoon. Lack of adult supervision may be an important factor. The relevance of these findings to future road safety strategies is discussed.