Too many children die on our roads

Creation date: 16 February 2009

“The World Report on Child Injury Prevention, published by the World Health Organization and Unicef, has highlighted the enormous challenge of curbing child road deaths”, said Petro Kruger, Director of the RMI Road Safety Foundation.

The new report, which was launched in Vietnam on 10 December 2008, collates the most inclusive collection of available data on childhood injury.   With 260 000 children (up to the age of 18) killed on the world’s roads every year, and another estimated 10 million injured, road crashes are the leading cause of child injury.

The greatest need for immediate and drastic action exists in low- and middle-income countries. These countries, which include South Africa, are responsible for more than 93% of child road deaths and injuries in the world. Data shows that globally, the road traffic death rate among children is 10.7 per 100 000 population. In the African Region, however, the rate is 19.9 per 100 000 population.
 
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death in children aged 10–19 years, and are also the leading cause of disability among children generally.  The report predicts significant increases in road traffic casualties over the next 15 years, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries.
 
Increased levels of motorization and urbanization in low- and middle-income countries are placing children at greater risk on the road. Young children may unknowingly take risks on the road because they lack appropriate skills to act safely. Older children and adolescents may actively indulge in risk taking behaviours that are exacerbated by peer pressure.
 
“The publication of this report by the WHO and UNICEF have strengthened our resolve to continue our work with UNICEF and other partners in South Africa, and to do as much as we can to prevent child road deaths in our country. “ said Petro Kruger “There are a number of interventions that can be taken to improve the safety of children on the road. But if parents just take the responsibility to put their infant in a child restraint, their small children in booster seat and insist that everyone in the vehicle use their seatbelt, we would safe thousands of lives on the roads every year.” 

Source: http://www.roadsafetyfoundation.co.za/RoadSafety/tabid/56/Default.aspx