Child pedestrian safety work has focused on traffic-related incidents; non-traffic pedestrian injuries that occur off public roadways (e.g., private driveways or parking lots) represent a significant child safety problem that has been neglected. This project will document the magnitude and nature of the problem, and develop a promising set of countermeasure approaches to address each major accident scenario and target group. The strategies may include environmental and vehicle changes, and educational interventions for children, parents, and drivers. Phase I will: review existing literature; analyze data sources to characterize the problem; and develop and evaluate target strategies. Phase I will thus derive a set of most promising design concepts and identify key research needs. Phase II will address the needed research, and develop and test the selected options. Because little work has addressed this safety problem and a diverse range of countermeasure targets exists, there is substantial opportunity for the development and widespread use of effective new safety products, programs, and guidelines. Potential for technological innovation comes from adapting approaches from other applications (e.g., sensor technologies). A wide range of consumers would include individual families, architects, engineers, vehicle owners, health/safety agencies, schools, and child safety organizations.
