Children's exposure to traffic and pedestrian injuries.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to estimate children's exposure to traffic (number of streets crossed) and to determine the role of exposure in pedestrian injury.


METHODS
Questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of 4080 first- and fourth-grade children in 43 Montreal schools.


RESULTS
When analyzed by police district, injury and exposure rates were positively correlated (r2 = 0.53). Crossings were similar by sex but increased with age and were inversely related to socioeconomic status.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that although children's exposure to traffic could be reduced by transporting them to school, a more reasonable prevention strategy involves environmental changes.
Macpherson
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Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Roberts
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Pless
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D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011792:Quebec; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control