Cycling Tips & Stories

Some people find them annoying, but those speed bumps that force motorists to slow down in residential neighborhoods and near schools can significantly cut the risk of injury or death to children, a study says.

The review found that children who lived on streets near a speed bump were up to 60 percent less likely to be hit and injured by an automobile than youngsters in areas without them. . . .

Motor vehicle-related incidents are the leading cause of death for children age 1 to 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study said Oakland had the highest rate of pedestrian deaths among California cities in 1995. That year, the city began a safety campaign after a pickup plowed into the playground of a local preschool, killing a 2-year-old and injuring 10 other children. The effort resulted in the installation of some 1,600 speed [bumps] on residential streets by 2000. Tom Van Demark, the head of the Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project, said there has been a 15 percent decrease in child pedestrian deaths and injuries in the past few years.

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