Magnitude and categories of pedestrian fatalities in South Africa

Child Deaths

“…Together with alcohol intake and pedestrian traffic, it might affect the occurrence of traffic accidents. It is reported that mostly boys get injured and die due to traffic accidents (Durkin et al, 1999, Chakravarty et al, 2007, Mabunda et al, 2008, Desapriya et al, 2011, Newbury et al, 2008. Different studies are concluded with different results concerning the scene of traffic accidents -whether in the city center, suburban or rural areas -that resulted in injury or death of children.…”

“…Road traffic accident issue is a major public health problem for particularly low and medium income countries. Contrary to the low and medium income countries, pedestrians constitute the largest group in the traffic accident related injuries and mortalities in the high income countries (Mabunda et al, 2008). It is reported that low socio-economic status is an increasing risk factor for child pedestrian deaths, and that the children with low socioeconomic status has 4-5 folds more mortality risk when compared the children with the highest socio-economic status (Desapriya et al, 2011, Busuttil, 2009d.…”

“…In four provinces of South Africa 7433 pedestrian deaths were reported between the years 2001 and 2004. 18.8% of the deaths in question were children and adolescents under the age of 20 (Mabunda et al, 2008). It is reported that children in adverse circumstances are inclined to traffic accidents.…”

“…Different studies are concluded with different results concerning the scene of traffic accidents -whether in the city center, suburban or rural areas -that resulted in injury or death of children. Some studies indicate that road traffic accidents mostly happen in the city center, whereas some others state that road traffic accidents are mainly seen in rural areas (Chakravarty et al, 2007, Mabunda et al, 2008, Desapriya et al, 2011. However it is generally asserted that accidents happen at the vicinity of the child's home (Busuttil, 2009d).…”

“…Types of injury depend on the age, gender and socio-economic status of the individual. The risk of death for child pedestrians is found associated with the socio-economic status, economic conditions of the family and ethnicity (Chakravarty et al, 2007, Mabunda et al, 2008, Busuttil, 2009d, Graham et al, 2005, Newbury et al, 2008, Presley et al, 2007. Pedestrian injuries and deaths have an increasing trend in the world.…”