Danger lurks at pedestrian crossings - children at risk in Helsinki

School year gets under way

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Over half of all traffic accidents involving schoolchildren in Helsinki occur at pedestrian crossings. Even though children's traffic safety has been improving over the last few years, the capital city's schoolchildren are at higher risk than children in Finland on average.
      The risk of accidents among the under 14-year-olds is four times greater in Helsinki when compared with other parts of the country.
     
Even in the suburbs of Helsinki, schoolchildren are exposed to the risk of being struck by vehicles more frequently than elsewhere in Finland, even though the risks are considerably lower than in the downtown area.
      In the course of the years from 1999 to 2004, an estimated number of more than 220 walking or cycling 7 to 14-year-old children were injured in traffic accidents in Helsinki. Today - on Tuesday - 48,500 schoolchildren start school in Helsinki. Some 4,600 of them are seven-year-old first-graders.
      Accidents occur almost as often at light-controlled pedestrian crossings as at the crossings without traffic lights.
      A majority of the accidents at light-controlled pedestrian crossings occurred while schoolchildren were crossing the street when lights were red for them. In several cases, the victim was trying to catch a bus or a tram which was leaving the nearby stop.
      Such accidents typically happen in downtown, whereas in the suburbs, traffic accidents usually occur elsewhere.
      According to Pirjo Koivunen of the City of Helsinki's Transportation and Traffic Planning Division, the high number of accidents at pedestrian crossings can be explained by their high utilisation rate.
     
In addition to traffic lights, attempts are made to improve safety at pedestrian crossings by constructing raised pedestrian crossings and speed bumps, which are supposed to cause motorists to reduce their speed.
      Koivunen asserts that the Traffic Planning Division attempts to bear in mind even local requirements, of which they are informed by residents' associations as well as teachers and parents. Typically, a priority is assigned to schools and daycare centres as well as bicycle routes.
     
However, accidents did not take place only in the vicinity of schools. Only one in ten victims was hurt in the immediate neighbourhood of his or her school.
      Over half of the accidents involving schoolchildren occurred after school.
      Since the end of the last decade, the situation in Helsinki has kept improving. While in 1999 an estimated number of 40 pedestrians and cyclists 7 to 14 years of age were injured in traffic accidents, the corresponding figure for last year was only 25.
      Furthermore, boys are twice as accident-prone as girls. The differences start to even out at the age of 13 to 14.
      In the course of the current week, the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare and Helsingin Sanomat are running a campaign for a safe way for children to go to school. Schoolchildren are instructed and guided to observe vehicles and traffic lights in the Greater Helsinki area from 8.30 to 10.00 a.m. each morning. If required, children are escorted over the busiest roads and they are reminded of the importance of staying alert.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsingin Sanomat observes frequent blatant violations at traffic lights (12.8.2003)
  Helsinki neighbourhood shocked at death of young girl at pedestrian crossing (15.8.2002)

Links:
  The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare

Helsingin Sanomat