Motor vehicle crash pedestrian deaths in New York City: the plight of the older pedestrian
- Correspondence to: L Nicaj New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette Street, 20th Floor, 6IE, New York, NY 10007, USA; lnicaj{at}health.nyc.gov
- Accepted 11 September 2006
Abstract
Objective: To describe the epidemiology of pedestrian deaths due to motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) between age groups in New York City (NYC), with a comparison to national data.
Methods: Review of MVC pedestrian deaths in NYC and the US from 1998 to 2002. Data on deaths were obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Results: Almost half (48%) of all MVC deaths in NYC were among pedestrians, compared with 12% nationally. Pedestrian death rates were highest among older age groups (≥65 years). NYC’s older pedestrians were more likely than US older pedestrians to be killed at an intersection, during daytime and on weekdays.
Conclusion: Older people constitute a major proportion of MVC pedestrian deaths in NYC. Conditions (such as traffic exposure) surrounding pedestrian MVCs may differ by age group. The high burden of MVCs among older pedestrians in NYC highlights the importance of local-level analysis to guide public health planning.
Footnotes
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↵*Now retired.
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Competing interests: None.
