Children hit by vehicles on Sheffield roads more than 150 times, Department for Transport figures show

Sheffield children were hit by vehicles more than 150 times in four years, analysis of official figures has revealed.
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Campaigners say more should be done to educate youngsters about road safety after hundreds of child pedestrians in Sheffield were involved in road traffic incidents between 2017 and 2020.

Analysis of Department for Transport figures by insurance company Churchill reveals that during that period, 151 children were hit by a vehicle in Sheffield.

Of them, 48 were seriously injured.

Children walking to school.Children walking to school.
Children walking to school.
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24 incidents in Sheffield involving a casualty aged between four and 11 happened in a 20mph zone, while none were within 500 metres of a school.

The figures also show that 48 children were hit during school 'rush hours' – either between 7.30am and 8.30am or between 3.30pm and 4.30pm.

Rod Dennis, from the RAC, called for more 20mph zones to be introduced around schools, saying physical traffic calming measures also played a part in making streets safer.

Mr Dennis added: "There is also a clear onus on drivers who use the car to drop off or pick up their children to think about their driving."

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He said parents could send a positive message to others by walking and cycling to school or parking away from the school gates.

According to the analysis of more than 600,000 accidents by Churchill, 10,100 primary aged children have been hit by vehicles in the UK since 2017 – around seven a day.

Primary school aged pupils made up 17 per cent of all 889 adult and child pedestrian casualties recorded by the DfT in 2017-20, despite representing 9 per cent of the population.

More than 2,900 accidents have happened during school pick-up and drop off times.

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Kirsty Hoad, from Churchill, said: "With more than half of primary school children walking or cycling to school, this is one obvious area where children will need to know how to stay safe.”

A Department for Transport spokesman said any death on the road is "completely unacceptable" and said the Government is focusing on improving safety via its new Road Safety Strategic Framework.

He added: “We have already invested billions of pounds in safe active travel schemes and cleaner transport infrastructure.”