The BC Coroners Service has released the report and recommendations of a Child Death Review Panel into the deaths of child and youth pedestrians, cyclists and boarders involved in motor vehicle incidents.

The panel, composed of experts from across the spectrum of both child-serving and road-safety agencies, made recommendations in three areas, aimed at adoption of a “safe systems” approach to road design, increased traffic knowledge for children and youth, and promotion of the adoption of legislation for better sensors and cameras on new vehicles.

The panel investigated the deaths of 81 children and youth who died in these sorts of incidents from the year 2005 through 2014.

The panel found that youth from 15 to 18 years old were more likely to die in these types of crashes than those who were of a younger age. More than two-thirds of those who died were pedestrians, with 21% being cyclists and 11% boarders (encompassing those riding skateboards, longboards or toboggans). Twice as many boys died as girls.

Factors found to increase the risk of a death in these circumstances included: speeding by a vehicle driver, lack of visibility, impairment as a pedestrian or cyclist, and lack of developed knowledge and skills relating to road safety. The panel also noted that among children under the age of five, almost half died in incidents in driveways in which they were struck by a vehicle either backing up or moving forward where they could not been seen by the driver.

The full text of the report can be found on the BC government website at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/death-investigation/child-death-review-unit/reports-publications/related-deaths-children-youth2005-2014.pdf