The road environment: skills training
| Author, date, and country | Injury target group and setting | Aims and content of intervention | Study type and sample size | Outcome measures | Key results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C = control; I = intervention. | |||||
| Hazinski et al (1995),5 USA | 5–7 years School based | Children's Traffic Safety Program 10 week programme by teachers | Controlled trial without randomisation I=6 schools (2 high, 4 low income) C=1 school | Observed seat belt use: all occupants | C: increased belt use: 48.2% to 54.7%. In I, 2 low income schools with good programme implementation: 13.4% before 25% after InconclusiveReasonable/weak evidence |
| Burke et al (1996),6 USA | 5–11 years Road environment | Education on safe bus boarding I bus stops: designated safe areas painted on pavements | Randomised controlled trial I: 5 bus stops C: 4 bus stops | Observed behaviour | Children in C twice as likely to exhibit unsafe behaviour (75/174) as compared with children in I (38/145) EffectiveReasonable evidence |
| Savill et al (1996),7 UK | 9/10 years assessed at age 12. School/road environment | Cycling skills and road safety knowledge by playground and roadside training | Controlled trial without randomisation. (A) Skills test I=805, C=761 (B) Knowledge I=977, C=977 (C) Cycling logs I=442, C=366 | (A) Observed behaviour (B) Knowledge (C) Exposure to cycling | (A) 75% of I and 53% of C rated “safe” (B) Knowledge scores of I=8.8, C=7.7 Reported helmet use of I=32%, C=−20% (C) Cycling exposure similar for I and C Effective Good/reasonable evidence |
| Thomson and Whelan (1997),8 UK | Children 5–7 years Low income School based Road environment | Drumchapel Road Safety Initiative Practical roadside pedestrian training of children by local volunteers. 3 key skills taught 4–6 training sessions | Randomised controlled trial Approx 50 children per year in I and C for 3 specific behaviours | Observed behaviour of children | I: children's choice of “very unsafe” places to cross fell from 47% (pre-tests) to 12% C: children from 50% to 30% Effective Good/reasonable evidence |
| Macarthur et al (1998),9 Canada | 9/10 year old children based High, medium, and low income schools | “Kids CAN-BIKE” Festival Playground cycle skills training. Single session 90 minutes | Randomised controlled trial I = 73 children in 3 schoolsC = 68 children in 3 schools | Observed behaviour Attitudes Knowledge | No significant differences between I and C. Ineffective Good/reasonable evidence |