The objectives of this article is to apply a measure of exposure to injury risk for schoolchildren aged 11-14 across a population and to examine how risk factors vary with sex, age, and affluence. A self completion questionnaire survey was administered in schools in May 1990. It covered 24 schools in Newcastle upon Tyne, and 4,637 pupils (87%) completed the questionnaires. The results indicated that boys were exposed to greater risk than girls in journeys to places to play outdoors. They took longer trips, were more likely to ride bicycles and were less likely to travel by public transport or car. Younger pupils (aged 11-12) were less exposed to traffic during journeys to and from school. Their journeys were shorter, they were less likely to walk and they were more likely to travel either by car or school bus. Poorer children were exposed to greater risk than affluent children. They were less likely to travel to school by car or to be accompanied by an adult.
Abstract