Trends in road transport collision deaths in the Irish paediatric population: a retrospective review of mortality data, 1991–2015

Objective: To establish the incidence of road transport collision (RTC) fatalities in the Irish paediatric population, examining trends in fatality rates over a period of 25 years, during which several national road safety interventions were implemented.Study design: Retrospective review of death registration details of children 0-19 years in Ireland between January 1991 and December 2015. Trends in mortality rates were investigated using average annual per cent change and Poisson regression analysis.Results: Proportionate RTC mortality, the majority of which occurred on public roads (94.1%, n=1432) increased with age; Conclusion: Child and adolescent mortality from RTCs has declined dramatically in Ireland, in excess of reductions in overall paediatric mortality. However, rates remain higher than in other EU countries and further effort is required to reduce the number of deaths further, particularly among adolescent males.