Walking safely: Documenting trends and identifying opportunities for prevention

Background: This research examines 15-year trends in pedestrian injuries and deaths in the U.S. among children ages 19 and under. Methods: Fatality data was obtained from NHTSA's FARS database, a compilation of annual nationwide databases of traffic fatalities. Nonfatal data was obtained from NHTSQA's GES, based on a nationally representative sample of motor vehicle crash police records. Population data was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau and combined with NHTSA's data to calculate rates. Results: While there has been a 53 percent decline in the pedestrian death rate and a 44 percent decline in the pedestrian injury rate over the past 15 years, progress has slowed recently. The most at-risk age group has shifted since 1995 when 5-9 year olds sustained the most injuries, to today when teens are at greatest risk. The death rate among older teens is now twice that of younger children. Injuries among 16-19 year olds increased by 25 percent from 2006 to 2010 when compared to the previous five years. Today, 14-19 year olds account for 50 percent of child pedestrian injuries. This increased risk among teenagers may be related to distraction, caused by the use of electronics and hand-held devices while walking. Conclusion: While there has been significant progress overall in reducing pedestrian death and injury rates, there has been a recent uptick in child pedestrian injuries, especially involving teenagers. The rapid increase in the use of cell phone and other technologies while walking by this age group may be responsible for this increase.