Older pedestrians hit by motor vehicles in South Australia

Abstract

Older pedestrians are vulnerable road users. To highlight the road safety issues for older pedestrians and identify countermeasures to improve their safety, this study examined the number of older pedestrians hit by motor vehicles in South Australia, the characteristics of their collisions and their injury outcomes. Police-reported data (2008-2017) for 3,493 pedestrians hit by vehicles were analysed, along with hospital data (January 2008-November 2010 and June 2014-August 2017) for 360 pedestrians hit by vehicles and seriously injured. Fewer older pedestrians (two age groups: 65-74 and ≥75) were hit by motor vehicles between 2008 and 2017 than younger adult pedestrians (18-64). However, they had higher rates of being seriously or fatally injured and those aged ≥75 had higher rates of being hit per 100,000 population than younger adult pedestrians (18-64). Older pedestrians were less likely than younger adult pedestrians to have consumed alcohol (≥75=5%, 65-74=9%, 18-64=37%) or be responsible for the crash (≥75=36%, 65-74=30%, 18-64=48%). They were also more commonly walking on the footpath when hit than younger adult pedestrians (≥75=17%, 65-74=15%, 18-64=10%), who were more commonly walking on the road (≥75=9%, 65-74=9%, 18-64=15%). Older pedestrians were more likely to be hit between 6am and 6pm (≥75=88%, 65-74=79%, 18-64=58%) than younger adult pedestrians, who were more likely hit between 6pm and 6am (≥75=12%, 65-74=21%, 18-64=42%). Seriously injured pedestrians in the three age groups did not differ in injury severity (Injury Severity Scale, p=.062), but older pedestrians were more likely to spend longer than 10 days in hospital (≥75=46%, 65-74=44%, 18-64=25%, p=.031). Infrastructure, speed, and vehicle-based countermeasures are discussed.