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Objective To examine the relationship between the numbers of people walking or bicycling and the frequency of collisions between motorists and walkers or bicyclists. The common wisdom holds that the number of collisions varies directly with the amount of walking and bicycling. However, three published analyses of collision rates at specific intersections found a non-linear relationship, such that collisions rates declined with increases in the numbers of people walking or bicycling. Data This paper uses five additional data sets (three population level and two time series) to compare the amount of walking or bicycling and the injuries incurring in collisions with motor vehicles. Results The likelihood that a given person walking or bicycling will be struck by a motorist varies inversely with the amount of walking or bicycling. This pattern is consistent across communities of varying size, from specific intersections to cities and countries, and across time periods. Discussion This result is unexpected. Since it is unlikely that the people walking and bicycling become more cautious if their numbers are larger, it indicates that the behavior of motorists controls the likelihood of collisions with people walking and bicycling. It appears that motorists adjust their behavior in the presence of people walking and bicycling. There is an urgent need for further exploration of the human factors controlling motorist behavior in the presence of people walking and bicycling. Conclusion A motorist is less likely to collide with a person walking and bicycling if more people walk or bicycle. Policies that increase the numbers of people walking and bicycling appear to be an effective route to improving the safety of people walking and bicycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Background The suicide rate is a macro indicator of the population's psychosocial wellbeing and an evaluation criterion of the effectiveness of suicide prevention strategies. A high level of injury deaths of undetermined intent (UD) is usually discussed in connection with the validity of suicide statistics. An effort is made to develop a criterion to characterise the quality of suicide statistics.Methods Standardised rates of suicides (X60-X84) and UD (Y10-Y34) by the International Classification of Disease version 10 as an average for the past five available years were taken from the WHO European mortality database. Rate ratios were computed by dividing rates of UD by suicide rates. Results: There is considerable variation in suicide and UD rates among countries. The highest overall rates of UD were registered in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and the lowest in Greece, Spain and Italy. The EU-15 average UD rate of 1.97 and the rate ratio of 0.194 UD to suicides were combined into a '2-20 benchmark', in which the primary indicator is 2.0 UD cases per 100 000 and the secondary indicator is the proportion of UD to suicides 0.20 (20% ), which enables countries to be clustered according to the quality of suicide statistics. The following countries satisfied the benchmark: Greece, Norway, Spain, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Austria, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Ireland and Finland. Conclusion This study used the developed '2-20 benchmark' in Europe to assess suicide registration quality in a particular country, to compare the relative position of countries, and to set a target for those European countries that have not yet achieved the benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on DG SANCO, the Consumer Affairs Directorate of the European Commission's financing of a project related to toy safety to promote the interest of consumers.

Reports on European standards organization CEN's adoption of the European standard EN 1400 Soothers for babies and young children.

The article focuses on the scrutiny of the effectiveness of police patrols in reducing accidents and crash-related injuries. Accordingly, patrols of police were the main intervention being examined and were defined as an increase in the number of officers or in the frequency and duration of patrols. The author stresses that drink-driving is a crime that results in the death of over 10,000 people in Europe every year.

The article presents the study by the European Association for the Coordination of Consumer Representation in Standardization (ANEC) regarding child protective products designed for attachment to other domestic products. The concern about children noted that products such as hob guards and electrical socket covers may be designed to be attached to products that are covered by standards and directives. The performance of the primary product must not be affected by the child protective device.

The article presents various changes in the European Association for the Coordination of Consumer Representation in Standardization (ANEC). Stephen Russell was appointed as new Secretary-General. He took up his post in the Brussels-based Secretariat in January 2007. Russell replaced Gottlobe Fabisch who resigned at the end of September 2006 after years as Secretary-General.

The article reports on the launch of a comprehensive guide entitled "Child Safety Good Practice Guide" by the European Child Safety Alliance-EuroSafe at the 1st European Conference for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion in June 2006. The guide was developed as part of the Europe-wide Child Safety Action Plans project. It provides guidance on proven strategies for a wide range of childhood injuries, supported by case studies from across Europe.

The article focuses on the "Injuries in the European Union" report, released at the 1st European Conference for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. It provides a comprehensive view about the size of the problem, the major groups at risk and important injury causes. It features the broad and neglected area of home and leisure accidents. It is recommended to policymakers, researchers, and related safety professions to increase awareness and knowledge of why injuries are a priority to address.

The article reports on the launch of an ambitious initiative for the development of a Statistics Portal on Accident and Injuries Data by the Center for Research and Injury Prevention in the context of the Working Party on Accidents and Injuries Secretariat. The portal is to become a single-entry point for accident statistics by integrating European and international accident data sources. Among the various data sources are the World Health Organizational Statistical Information System and the community Road Accident Database.