In 2006, there were nearly 61 million children age 14 and younger in the United States. This age group made up 20 percent of the total U.S. resident population in 2006. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for the age group 2 to 14 years old (based on 2004 figures, which are the latest mortality data currently available from the National Center for Health Statistics).In 2006, there were a total of 42,642 traffic fatalities in the United States. The 14 and younger age group accounted for 4 percent (1,794) of those traffic fatalities. This age group accounted for 4 percent (1,335) of all vehicle occupant fatalities, 8 percent (208,000) of all the people injured in motor vehicle crashes, and 7 percent (184,000) of all the vehicle occupants injured in crashes.Every day in the United States, an average of 5 children age 14 and younger were killed and 568 were injured in motor vehicle crashes during 2006.In the 14 and under age group, males accounted for 55 percent of the fatalities and 49 percent of those injured in motor vehicle crashes during 2006. (Author/publisher)
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