Children from deprived areas 'are exposed to greater road dangers'

Date: 17/8/2010

Children who live in deprived areas are more likely to be injured in a road accident than those from affluent locations.

That is the finding of new research released by the not-for-profit organisation Road Safety Analysis, which examined some 120,000 child road casualties over a period of five years.

The study concluded children from lower income families who live on large council estates are most at risk from road dangers.

Youngsters living in Preston are more than twice as likely to be injured in a motoring accident than the national average and five times more likely than those from Kensington and Chelsea.

Dan Campsall, director of Road Safety Analysis, said: "The results of this study show a worrying discrepancy between different parts of the country."

Recently, a mother who lost her 16-year-old son in a car crash urged teenagers to get out of a vehicle if they are worried about dangerous driving.

Posted by Sarah Bailey