Improvement of Children Road Safety in Iran

Road traffic accidents account for approximately 186,300 children deaths annually as well as millions of injuries; including brain and spine trauma. Road accidents may lead to several disabilities and chronic disease, such as refractory epilepsy and cognitive impairments. In low-income and middle-income countries, road traffic accidents account for about two-thirds of these casualties and injuries. To address the importance of public health and sustainable development issue of child road safety in Iran, The Fifth International Road Safety and Pediatric Trauma was held on January 20-22, 2016 in Tehran, Iran.
During three days of discussion between several experts from Europe as well as Iranian scientists, physicians, health educators, and traffic police on different aspects of children road safety, the followings seven points were suggested for for the improvement of children traffic safety: 1) declaration of road safety as a national health problem, 2) adoption of technical safety standards for cars and child seats, 3) codification of law for mandatory use of seat belt and child seats, 4) implementation of enforcement measures for checking seat belt and child seat use, 5) enhancement of accident research and data monitoring system country wide. Furthermore, emphases were given to protection of child pedestrians, bicyclists, 6) obligatory education on children road safety in schools, and 7) emphasizing the role of media on improvement of children road safety.