Trends and Issues Paper released: Child deaths - driving in flood waters

The Commission has introduced a Trends and Issues Paper series to regularly publish data about different types of preventable deaths and injury.

• Trends and Issues Paper Number 4: Child deaths – driving in flood waters (February 2012)

  The fourth paper released in February 2012 examines the dangers of entering floodwaters, specifically in vehicles and the particular risk this poses to the safety of children and young people.

  During December 2010 and January 2011, Queensland was devastated by a series of natural disasters, with 78% of the state being declared a disaster zone. During this period, six children and young people died in association with floodwaters. Of those, four were in vehicles that entered floodwaters.

• Trends and Issues Paper Number 3: Child deaths – Bicycle safety (February 2012)

  The third paper released in February 2012 focuses on bicycle safety for children and young people and examines the incidence of children who died in bicycle incidents between 2004 and 2011 in Queensland and outlines areas of concern to the Commission.

• Trends and Issues Paper Number 2: Child deaths – fatal assault and neglect (January 2012)

  The second paper released in January 2012 focuses on the issue of fatal assault and neglect in children and young people in Queensland and discusses categories of fatal assault and neglect and directions for future research.

• Trends and Issues Paper Number 1: Child deaths – suicide intent (November 2011)

  The first paper released in November 2011 focuses on understanding suicidal intent: how it is communicated and to whom, what it can mean for young people at risk of suicide, and that any threat of suicide needs to be taken seriously.

More detailed data is available in the Commission’s annual reports on child death review activities and access to Child Death Register data can be requested by genuine researchers using forms available here.

The Commission, through its Child Death Review team, is committed to promoting evidence-based research into the risk factors and trends regarding deaths of children and young people in Queensland.

It is hoped that through an increased awareness of these issues, Government and non-government key stakeholders, researchers and the broader community will be better informed about the factors that can impact on the vulnerability of children and young people, and be better placed to drive prevention and intervention efforts to reduce child deaths.

Last Updated: February 17, 2012

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