Excess mortality from traffic accidents among elderly pedestrians living in the inner city.

Age-specific death rates for pedestrian-car accidents among the populations living in four contiguous areas of a large city, one being the downtown area and the others gradually more removed from it, were compared. The rates are highest downtown and decrease progressively in the outlying areas, the absolute differences between areas being largest above age 65. These data suggest that pedestrian accident prevention efforts should take into account the specific needs of the elderly living in the inner city.