Nearly one in seven children in road crash

NEARLY one in seven children have been injured in a road accident, half of whom needed hospital treatment, according to a new survey on road safety.

Worryingly, the survey also found more than four in 10 don't wear cycle helmets and two in 10 children don't always wear a seatbelt when travelling in a car.

Over 13,000 children across 21 European countries were asked about their road safety behaviour as part of the European Red Cross Societies Road Safety Campaign 2005.

Their responses revealed that:

93% of European children want safer roads.

13% feel unsafe on their journeys to and from school.

As children get older they are less likely to wear a seatbelt. 83% of children under nine said they always wore a seatbelt, falling to 71% of 14 to 16 year olds.

Girls have slightly better road behaviours than boys, 81% of girls surveyed said that they always wore a seatbelt compared to 76% of boys.

Spokesperson for the National Safety Council (NSC), Brian Farrell, said the greatest danger Irish children faced on the roads was travelling as a car passenger.

"Unfortunately, if you look at the National Road Authority reports, you will find half of parents still don't strap their children into the back seat of a car.

"This is inexcusable. A child should never be in the position of being in charge of their own safety. The burden of responsibility lies with the parent and it is unforgivable not to use a restraint."

NSC statistics show a far higher number of children under the age of 14 travelling as car passengers suffered injuries between 1998 and 2003, compared to pedestrians and pedal cyclists. During that period, 1,530 pedestrians aged under 14 were injured compared to 2,764 car passengers and 383 cyclists. However, a higher number of child pedestrians 59 suffered fatal injuries, compared to 45 fatalities among car passengers. Earlier this week, 15-year-old Irish schoolgirl Marie Rooney, from Co Donegal, was knocked down and killed while waiting for a bus.

This latest survey concluded that pedestrians are vulnerable road users and children are most vulnerable, due to their small size and lack of experience.

It said first aid was "an essential skill" for reducing road deaths and the impact of injuries.

"Simply making a crash scene safe, opening an unconscious casualty's airways and stemming severe bleeding can save lives. Of the children surveyed, 47% said that they had learned some first aid; 86% said they wanted to know more."

When asked for their views on how road safety could be improved, the children made suggestions including improvements in infrastructure, driver behaviour, legislation and enforcement.

The results of the survey can be found at www.1-life.info.