Paediatric traffic accidents - current epidemiological trends at a finnish university hospital.

<bold>Background: </bold>Paediatric traffic accidents (TA) have a major impact globally on youth deaths and disabilities. It is known that the trends of TAs leading to fatal outcomes are decreasing in high-income countries. However, the literature concerning children's non-fatal TAs is scarce and outdated. The aim of this study was to report on the epidemiology of TAs amongst children admitted to the emergency department (ED) in Tampere, Finland.<bold>Materials and Methods: </bold>We conducted a descriptive retrospective cohort study in Tampere University Hospital from January 2016 to May 2017. The study population consisted of all TA trauma patients aged 16 years or younger. A total of 386 cases (386 visits / 381 patients) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Outcome variables such as length of stay, incidences of different accidents and types injuries, and seasonal variation were recorded.<bold>Results: </bold>The mean age of the patients was 12.2 ± 4.2 years (boys: n = 247, 64%). The incidence of TAs in Tampere was 26.6 per 10,000 with a peak of 119.6 in children 15 years of age. Most of the TAs occurred during the summer. Of the patients admitted to the ED, 33% (n = 127) did not require any specific medical treatment, and only 16% (n = 62) of the hospital stays lasted for two nights or more. Mopeds/motorcycles were the vehicles most commonly involved in accidents causing 35% (n = 134) of all accidents and resulting in the most severe injuries. The most common injuries were superficial (n = 142, 38%) and the most frequent anatomical region affected was the lower limbs (n = 130, 34%).<bold>Conclusion: </bold>We found that the majority of childhood traffic accidents in Tampere were mild and required only minor treatment. However, when the child reaches the legal age for acquiring a driving licence for a moped the risk for TAs and resulting injuries increases dramatically. These findings highlight the need for better targeted TA prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]