Queensland has the highest rate of driveway runovers in Australia - one of the leading causes of death and serious injury in young children - but Queensland University of Technology is embarking on a study funded by Queensland Health to reduce these tragic incidents.
Dr Kerry Armstrong, from QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety (CARRS-Q), said information was needed from parents and guardians across Queensland which would help to reduce the risk of low-speed vehicle run-overs.
"CARRS-Q statistics show that Queensland has the highest per capita rate for low-speed vehicle run-overs - leading to approximately four children being killed and 81 hospital presentations each year," Dr Armstrong said.
"Low-speed driveway reversing incidents show a number of consistent characteristics: children under five years of age are at highest risk, most incidents occur at the child's home, or a home of relatives or friends, and parents are most likely to be driving the vehicle."
Dr Armstrong said four-wheel drives and light commercial vehicles were the most commonly involved vehicle types, with four-wheel drives accounting for 41 per cent of all low-speed child driveway deaths between 1994 and 2000.
She said children in rural areas are also known to be at a higher risk, with approximately two in three driveway fatalities occurring in non-metropolitan areas.
"Importantly, in almost all driveway run-over incidents, there was no clear separation between the driveway and the rest of the yard or play area," she said.
Dr Armstrong said CARRS-Q research and hospital statistics have allowed researchers to build a clear picture of the nature of driveway run-overs, which, with the help of parents, could now lead to developing a way to reduce the risks.
"We will be asking parents and guardians what steps they took to ensure their young children stay safe in and out of the house, and how they found out about these safety measures," she said.
"Using all of this information, we will develop guidelines for the Queensland Injury Prevention Council about how best to raise parents' awareness about driveway safety.
"We hope the guidelines will result in helping parents make both behavioural and environmental changes, such as increased supervision around moving vehicles and modifications to homes to separate driveways from play areas."
Parents and caregivers of children aged 5 or younger in the great Brisbane area and Queensland's regional areas, are encouraged to take part in the study.
For further information, parents and caregivers can contact research officer Hanna Thunstrom on 3138 7712 or email hanna.thunstrom@qut.edu.au.
Media contact: Rachael Wilson, QUT media officer, 07 3138 1150 or rachael.wilson@qut.edu.au
