Paediatric pedestrian trauma: the danger after school.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the demographics of road pedestrian trauma in children in the Auckland region and to provide data that can help target prevention strategies.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was conducted of all children (0-14 years) in the Auckland region admitted to the hospital or killed following a pedestrian versus vehicle injury for the 6-year period 2000-2005. Excluded were pedestrians injured in a driveway.


RESULTS
Over the 6-year period, 364 children were involved in pedestrian crashes resulting in 25 deaths. The median age was 7 years. Males comprised 63%. Pacific Islanders and Maori were over-represented. Three hundred seventeen patients had injury times recorded. Of these, 49% occurred between 3 and 7 pm. Injury peaks for school days showed a tri-modal pattern with injury peaks at 8-9 am, 3-4 pm and 5-6 pm with the 3-4 pm after-school peak predominating.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention strategies should concentrate on the hours after school finishes and should be tailored for Maori and Pacific Island communities.
Newbury
Clinton
C
Children's Trauma Service, Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
Hsiao
Kai
K
Dansey
Rangi
R
Hamill
James
J
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D001336:Automobiles; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010372:Pediatrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013334:Students; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*