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In 2004, 166 children were killed on the road. In other words, a child is killed on the road almost every other day.
Children (0 – 15 years) Killed and Injured on the Road, GB, 20041
| Killed | Injured | |
| Pedestrian | 77 | 12,157 |
| Cyclist | 25 | 4,657 |
| Car Passenger | 51 | 11,885 |
| Motorcycle User | 7 | 427 |
| Other | 6 | 1,708 |
| Total | 166 | 30,834 |
Children’s awareness of the dangers of traffic is much lower than that of adults’. Many cannot judge how fast cars are moving nor how far away they are. As we all know, children are more easily distracted and they are likely to do things, such as dash into the road after a ball, that adults would not dream of doing.
As adults who have been trained and licensed to drive cars in an environment that children also use, it is our responsibility to drive in a way that enables us to cope with mistakes and misjudgements made by children.
One of the most effective ways we can ensure that a child who dashes into the road or who makes a mistake while cycling does not pay for that mistake with their life, is to drive slower when children are, or may be, about.
1 Road Casualties Great Britain 2004, DfT
