In 2009, there were nearly 62 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 2009. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for ages 3 to 14 (based on 2007 figures, which are the latest mortality data currently available from the National Center for Health Statistics). During 2009, there were a total of 33,808 traffic fatalities in the United States. The 14-and-younger age group accounted for 1,314 (4%) of those traffic fatalities, which is a 3-percent decrease from the 1,350 fatalities in 2008. In 2009, there were an additional 179,000 children age 14 and younger injured, which is a 7-percent decrease from the 193,000 children injured in 2008. An average of 4 children age 14 and younger were killed and 490 were injured every day in the United States in motor vehicle crashes during 2009. In the 14-and-younger age group, males accounted for 56 percent of the fatalities and 50 percent of those injured in motor vehicle crashes during 2009. (Author/publisher)
Abstract