[A study of risk factors and the epidemiology of accidents in the child population].

The medical social and economic consequences of motor vehicle accidents in the infant population represent a major problem in public health. The present study was conceived as a descriptive epidemiological survey carried out retrospectively over a six-year period on the basis of case records. Potential risk factors related to accidents were: sex, social origin, age group, calendar month, day of the week, circumstances of the accident, parental supervision, location of the injury. In order to get a clearer image of how injuries are produced in traffic accidents, the collision of vehicles and pedestrians was studied in terms of bio-mechanics with special emphasis on the specific impact forces affecting pedestrians.