Key facts about driveway accidents

• children injured in driveway accidents often suffer severe and sometimes fatal injuries - frequently to the head, chest and lower limbs
• most children are injured on their own home driveway
• the greatest risk is to children under the age of five
• sadly it is most commonly the child’s own parent who is driving the vehicle when a child is hit
• in many cases, the driver said they saw the child in a safe place before the accident
• driveway accidents are more common in summer, between December and February, when children are more likely to be playing outside
• most driveway accidents happen in the afternoon between 4pm and 7pm or in the morning between 10am and 12pm
• the occurrence of these tragic accidents has not changed significantly over the past 15 years but the good news is these deaths and injuries are preventable

Key safety messages in preventing driveway injuries

• CHECK for children before driving off
• SUPERVISE children around vehicles - always
• SEPARATE play areas from driveways

Checklist for keeping kids safe around driveways

• when you leave the house, shut the door securely so that children cannot run outside after you
• before driving off, make sure you know where all children are – check, check and check again
• if you’re on your own and need to move a vehicle, it’s safer to get the children to ride in the car with you
• remember most accidents happen when cars are reversing – be very sure to check your vehicle’s ‘blind spots’ whenever you are reversing
• hold children firmly by the hand whenever a vehicle is being moved
• if your driveway borders a play area, fence it

Parents be careful!

What type of vehicle?

Download and print a leaflet with key safety messages

Where to go for more information

Safekids New Zealand www.safekids.org.nz 
Safekids offer services designed to contribute to the reduction of childhood injury.
Email: infocentre@safekids.org.nz (To access data and materials from the Safekids National Information & Resource Centre) 

Acknowledgements

Barfoot and Thompson. Keeping our kids safe as houses: Preventing driveway injuries.

Safekids. 2002. Home driveway injuries and fatalities in the Auckland region. [Accessed 21/11/2012]

Statistics in this fact sheet are based on the results of the study by Murphy, White and Morreau listed above. This was a study of all children aged 14 years and under who were admitted to Starship Hospital or died from injuries sustained on home driveways in the Auckland region between January 1998 and October 2001.