Analytical approach to the investigation of childhood pedestrian injuries: A review of the literature

Abstract

Motor-vehicle related injuries to children (both passenger and pedestrian) constitute a significant health problem in Western society. In order to identify those features within the environment and the individual that have a significant impact on the chances of a childhood pedestrian injury, it is necessary to examine the child's exposure to risk. This paper reviews the methods adopted for measuring the child pedestrian's exposure, and proposes a framework suitable for the study of these injuries. This framework applies the epidemiologic triad of the host, agent, and environment to the study of these injuries, and incorporates a measure of the child pedestrian's exposure in the road environm..