Traffic death trends in children aged 0-14 years in Lithuania: patterns by age group.

The aim of the study was to analyse traffic-injury mortality trends in children aged 0-14 years in Lithuania between 1971 and 2005. The data was derived from Statistics Lithuania. Trends were estimated by the use of cubic regression. In addition, data from 'tail' years was compared, and the t-test was used. The significance level p ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. In the age groups 1-4 and 5-9 years, traffic injury mortality showed significantly decreasing trends, but in the age group 10-14 years, no significant tendencies have been observed. Traffic deaths as a proportion of injury deaths and as a proportion of all deaths have risen significantly in the age groups 1-4 and 10-14 years. In children aged 5-9 years, for traffic deaths percentage of injury deaths, no significance change was observed, and significant decrease was shown for traffic deaths percentage of all deaths. The study showed that in road safety work, more attention should be given to young adolescents aged 10-14 years and to children aged 1-4 years. A public health approach, effective law enforcements and community involvement are recommended for road safety management.