Assessing the impact and implications of the revised Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes in preventing child traffic injuries in school zones in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis

Epidemiol Health. 2024:46:e2024032. doi: 10.4178/epih.e2024032. Epub 2024 Feb 21.

Abstract

In 2019, a child's death in Korea led to legislation that imposed stricter penalties for school zone traffic violations. We assessed the impact of that legislation using 2017-2022 Traffic Accident Analysis System data. Adjusted analyses revealed a significant decline in severe injuries in school zones, decreasing from 11 cases to 8 cases per month (p=0.017). The legislation correlated with a reduced risk of all child traffic injuries (risk ratio, 0.987; 95% confidence interval, 0.977 to 0.997; p=0.002), indicating its efficacy in curbing accidents.

Keywords: Accidents; Child; Injury; Pediatrics; Traffic.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic* / prevention & control
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Crime / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interrupted Time Series Analysis*
  • Male
  • Punishment
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • Schools*
  • Wounds and Injuries* / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries* / prevention & control