Martin A J, Hand E B, Trace F, O'Neill D
Centre for Ageing, Neuroscience and the Humanities, Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Gerontology. 2010;56(3):266-71. doi: 10.1159/000258052. Epub 2009 Nov 11.
It has been established internationally that road traffic accidents (RTAs) involving older drivers follow clearly different patterns of timing, location and outcomes from those of younger age groups. Older pedestrians are also a vulnerable group and fewer analyses have been undertaken of the phenomenology of their injuries and fatalities. We studied the pattern of pedestrian RTAs in Ireland over a five-year period with the aim of identifying differences between older pedestrians (aged 65 or older) and younger adults.
We examined the datasets of the Irish National Road Authority (now the Road Safety Authority) from 1998-2002. We analysed patterns of crashes involving older pedestrians (aged 65) and compared them with younger adults (aged 18-64).
Older people represented 36% (n = 134) of pedestrian fatalities and 23% of serious injuries while they only account for 19% of total RTAs. Mortality in RTA is more than doubled for older pedestrians compared to younger adults (RR 2.30). Most accidents involving older pedestrians happen in daylight with good visibility (56%) and in good weather conditions (77%).
Older pedestrians are particularly vulnerable in RTAs. These occur more frequently during daylight hours and in good weather conditions. This may point to a need for prevention strategies that are targeted at the traffic environment and other road users rather than at older people.
国际上已证实，涉及老年驾驶员的道路交通事故（RTA）在时间、地点和结果模式上与年轻群体明显不同。老年行人也是弱势群体，对其受伤和死亡现象学的分析较少。我们研究了爱尔兰五年期间行人道路交通事故的模式，旨在确定老年行人（65岁及以上）和年轻人之间的差异。
我们检查了爱尔兰国家道路管理局（现为道路安全管理局）1998年至2002年的数据集。我们分析了涉及老年行人（65岁）的撞车事故模式，并将其与年轻人（18 - 64岁）进行比较。
老年行人占行人死亡人数的36%（n = 134），重伤人数的23%，而他们仅占道路交通事故总数的19%。与年轻成年人相比，老年行人在道路交通事故中的死亡率增加了一倍多（相对危险度2.30）。大多数涉及老年行人的事故发生在能见度良好的白天（56%）和天气条件良好的情况下（77%）。
老年行人在道路交通事故中特别容易受到伤害。这些事故在白天和天气条件良好时更频繁发生。这可能表明需要制定针对交通环境和其他道路使用者而非老年人的预防策略。
