The number of children injured or killed on Irish roads dropped by over 70% between 1996 and 2013, a new study has found.

Researchers from Temple Street Children's Hospital and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) looked at road-related injuries and fatalities in children under the age of 15 over three time periods - 1996-2000, 2004-2008 and 2009-2013.

The study included all road and traffic collisions that occurred on public roads and required police assistance. Resulting injuries were classified into three groups:
-Fatalities
-Serious injuries which resulted in a hospital stay, such as severe head injuries, severe internal injuries and fractures
-Minor injuries.

The study found that during the first time period (1996-2000), 5,928 children were injured or killed on Irish roads. However, by the third period (2009-2013), this had fallen 3,903.

Minor injuries fell during this time from 5,063 to 3,659, serious injuries fell from 712 to 201 and fatal injuries fell by 163 to 43.

The study noted that injuries among pedestrians fell from 1,719 to 1,258 over the three time periods, while pedestrian fatalities fell from 61 to 21.

Meanwhile, there was a ‘dramatic reduction' in cyclist fatalities, which fell from 25 during the first time period to six in the third time period.

"A national road safety campaign, greater police enforcement and a cultural change has seen road-related deaths and injuries in children drop very significantly (by over 70%) over the three time periods and this campaign should continue.

"Road traffic injuries in children are predictable and therefore preventable and to reduce the injury toll further requires a coordinated and collaborative effort across many sectors. The success of the past 17 years should act as a spur to further reduce this toll in our vulnerable road users," the researchers said.

Details of these findings are published in the Irish Medical Journal.