Rise in child injuries sparks new road safety rethink
LANCASHIRE has released a new road safety strategy to tackle the high numbers of children killed and seriously injured on the county’s roads.
The report comes after two serious collisions over the past few months involving Burscough Priory students Georgia Addy and Kai Johnstone.
Year 10 student Kai was riding his bike along Heaton’s Bridge, on Dam Wood Lane in Scarisbrick, when he was involved in a collision with a silver Vauxhall Corsa.
He was taken to Alder Hey Hospital where he was treated for serious head injuries. He has since been released from hospital but is suffering hearing loss as a result of his accident.
Georgia, 15, was injured when she was struck by a van on Moss Lane in Burscough on her way home from school.
Georgia is still recovering from her injuries and remains in hospital.
The report submitted to Lancashire County Council shows that Lancashire has among the highest rate of child casualties nationally.
In the 12 months up to June 30, 2016, some 79 children were killed or seriously injured. Analysis has found that most incidents happen when children are walking.
The vast majority involve children suddenly running, stepping or cycling into the road, often on streets where visibility is reduced by parked cars.
Other common factors in collisions are children using pedestrian crossings, parents losing control of younger children when crossing the road, older children moving together in groups, and distraction.
Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health for Lancashire, said: “Some districts in Lancashire have among the highest rates of child casualties in the UK, and there are common features of these incidents which suggest we need to look at new ways to encourage everyone to take more care on the roads, and particularly influence children to stay safe when they are out and about.”
Dr Karunanithi added: “I hope this report helps to raise awareness of this issue, and the common causes of these incidents involving children so that people are in a better position to encourage participation in our road safety education programmes.”