Road safety is a matter of vital importance in our societies, especially when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable: our children. Every year, thousands of children suffer injuries or lose their lives on streets and roads, whether as pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers in vehicles. This reality highlights the need to improve road safety measures for children.
Enhancing road safety is not only about saving lives; it is also essential for creating safer and more sustainable environments. Through this document, we will explore the reasons behind the importance of this issue, supported by figures and statistics, and offer practical recommendations to make our streets a safe place for children.
Key Figures and Statistics
The data reveals a reality that we cannot ignore. According to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), traffic incidents are one of the leading causes of death among children and young people worldwide.
Specifically, it is estimated that:
Approximately 1.15 million people lose their lives in traffic incidents every year, and a significant proportion of these are children.
- Incidents where children are struck by vehicles represent one of the main causes of traffic-related child mortality.
- Not using appropriate infant car seats greatly increases the risk of serious or fatal injuries in children under 10 years old.
In Mexico, during 2022, 449 boys and girls lost their lives on streets and roads as pedestrians and vehicle occupants.
Starting with the youngest age group, in the group under 1 year old, there is an equal number of fatalities among male and female pedestrians (1 for each gender), while as vehicle occupants, more boys are affected (32) compared to girls (23). This could indicate a higher vulnerability of boys under 1 year old in vehicles compared to girls.
For the group aged 1 to 4 years old, there is a significant number of fatalities in both boys and girls. Boys have a higher number both as pedestrians (30) and vehicle occupants (89), compared to girls who have 25 and 68 fatalities respectively in the same categories. This suggests that boys aged 1 to 4 years old are at greater risk both on the road and inside vehicles.
In the group aged 5 to 9 years old, boys also show a higher number of fatalities as pedestrians (25) compared to girls (11), suggesting a higher incidence of road accidents in boys who walk or play near streets and roads. However, as vehicle occupants, fatalities are equal for boys and girls (76 and 68 respectively), which could reflect an equality of risk conditions in the vehicle for both genders in this age group.
Looking at the data as a whole, boys have a higher total number of fatalities (221) compared to girls (178). This represents approximately 49.2% of the total fatalities for boys and 39.6% for girls. Boys are at greater risk both as pedestrians and vehicle occupants in all age groups, except for girls as vehicle occupants aged 5 to 9 years old, where the figures are very close.
Road insecurity significantly affects children under 10 years old, with boys showing a slightly higher risk than girls. Fatalities as vehicle occupants are higher than as pedestrians in all age and gender groups, highlighting the importance of vehicle safety for this vulnerable population.
These statistics underscore the urgent need to adopt concrete measures to improve child road safety.
Impact of Vehicle Speed on Child Safety
Vehicle speed plays a crucial role in the risk and severity of traffic incidents. Studies show that even a small increase in speed can have fatal consequences, especially for vulnerable pedestrians such as children. At higher speeds, the driver’s reaction time decreases and the braking distance increases, dramatically raising the likelihood of fatal accidents.
Therefore, reducing speed in residential areas and near schools is essential to protect children’s lives.
Importance of Infant Car Seat Usage
The proper use of infant car seats is essential to ensure children’s safety in vehicles. These seats, when properly selected and installed, can reduce the risk of death by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers in the event of a crash. However, the lack of use or incorrect use of these devices remains a significant cause of serious injuries among children. It is crucial to promote awareness and knowledge about how to correctly select and use these seats.
Recommendations
To improve child road safety, it is essential to take concrete actions. Here are some recommendations aimed at parents and caregivers:
Parents should role model safe driving behavior, including wearing seat belts, respecting traffic lights and speed limits, demonstrating by example the importance of road safety.
- Always use infant car seats and appropriate restraint systems for children on every trip, without exceptions, ensuring they are properly adjusted and functional.
- Maintain safe speeds, especially in residential areas, near schools, and parks where children play and walk.
- Encourage the use of safe play areas, away from streets and roads, to minimize the risk of traffic incidents.
- Work with schools and local authorities to implement road safety measures such as well-marked crosswalks, low-speed zones, and school patrols.
- Ensure adequate supervision of children in road environments, especially in high-traffic areas or when playing near streets.
Child road safety is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration from everyone: governments, communities, parents, and caregivers. Through education, implementation of appropriate safety measures, and promotion of safe practices, we can make a significant difference in reducing the number of incidents and injuries among children.
Get informed, share, take action. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility
