Seeking to examine safe active transportation in children
Very little research has been done to show how safe various environments are for children and youth
Values
The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that “…children have the right to the highest attainable level of health and the right to a safe environment, free from injury and violence.” Injuries are the most common cause of death and disability in children and adolescents and the majority of serious injuries are preventable. Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs), including collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists, are the leading cause of paediatric injury and death.
Andrew Howard, a leading Canadian surgeon, injury prevention expert and co-lead maintains that: “By giving priority to automotive over pedestrian transportation, we have allowed road traffic to become the leading cause of death among our children.” Until we start to address motor vehicle related pedestrian and bicycling injury via primary prevention strategies, such as modifying urban form to improve the support and safety of active transportation, these disturbing facts will not change.
The main theme of this program is the built environment and active transportation safety in children and youth. A built environment that promotes active transportation is necessary to meet both health goals (health promotion, injury prevention) and health equity goals (valuing children, reducing socioeconomic health and injury gradients).
