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LAUNCH OF PETITION: Calling for Immediate Road Safety Action for the Black Child on London Roads. L-R- Johnnet Hamilton, Maria Taylor-West, London Assembly member Jennette Arnold, Reuben Taylor-West and his sister Ebony Taylor-West

Black children are nearly three times more likely to be knocked down while crossing streets in London than their white counterparts

Black children are nearly three times more likely to be knocked down while crossing streets in London than their white counterparts, new research has revealed.

According to research by Transport for London (TfL), in the 1990s, black children were one-and-a-half times more likely to be knocked down as pedestrians.

Shockingly, that figure has now increased to two-and-a-half times.

The frightening statistics were revealed in research by TfL, which monitors road safety in London.

Amazingly, researchers have struggled to explain the phenomenon and have put forward a number of possible reasons, including arguing that black boys wore more baseball caps and hoods which impaired their vision on the street.

London Assembly member Jennette Arnold told The Voice that the figures were shocking and a wake-up call for change.

She said: “Great strides have been made in reducing the overall number of children killed or seriously injured on London’s roads – down by 42% in 2003, compared to the 1994 to1998 average.

But while the number of accidents for white children has taken a nosedive of 56% and for Asian children has fallen by 49%, the number for black Caribbean or African children has decreased by only 18%. If you see the figures plotted on a graph it’s a stark comparison.”

The Voice has obtained a copy of the TfL report which highlights the fact that road safety measures have worked for white communities and led to a massive fall in the number of white children killed or seriously injured on roads in London.

There is no such decrease in the number of black and Asian casualties however, as shown in our graph.

The situation is particularly stark in some of London’s most deprived areas, including Hackney, one of the areas represented by Arnold.

She said: “In Hackney, the 2002 to 2004, the average rate of pedestrian casualties for black African and Caribbean communities was two for every thousand black children. This compares to a rate of 0.67 per thousand Asian children and 0.52 per thousand for white children. The picture is the same in nearly every London borough.”

Arnold has launched a petitioncalling for road safety action for black children in London and is set to deliver her petition to London mayor Ken Livingstone and the Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy.

Transport for London has also vowed to undertake further research into the striking phenomenon, particularly around why the figures for black children were so disproportionately high.

Some research into the statistics has identified deprivation as a possible main explanation for ethnic differences in road traffic injuries.

However Arnold believes that there may be further reasons.

She said: “There may be other factors, such as the amount of time children spend on the road; the relative traffic danger of the roads they use and the way they deal with traffic hazards. Transport for London are now undertaking more research, which aims to identify and evaluate best practice for road safety interventions for minority ethnic groups.

At my last head to head with the Transport Commissioner, I got his assurance that on his watch, we will work together to get rid of this inequality. And I don’t just see this as an issue for politicians and transport engineers, so during August I will be going out and about asking members of our black communities for their views on what needs to be done and how they can contribute to ending the high risk to black children on London’s streets.”

The Voice has also launched a campaign to highlight the issue and will be featuring the importance of road safety of black children over the coming weeks.

NEXT WEEK: How community groups and schools can make a difference.

Published: 13 October 2006
Issue: 1239

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