Decomposing the impact of deprivation on child pedestrian casualties in England

The incidence of child injury due to road traffic accidents appears to be positively associated with socioeconomic deprivation. However, the reasons behind this relationship have proven difficult to identify. In this paper, we present results from a cross-sectional analysis using generalized linear regression models of child pedestrian casualties for the wards of England. We find that there are distinct and substantial effects on casualty rates from characteristics associated with area deprivation across diverse environments. These associations exist over and above influences arising from local environmental characteristics. Distinct dimensions of deprivation appear to affect the incidence of pedestrian casualties to varying degrees and sometimes in different directions. The results identify a relationship between income deprivation and the incidence of child pedestrian casualties, but they also show that poverty is only one aspect of deprivation that matters. In particular, we find a consistent positive influence from crime related deprivation. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.