TABLE 1: All pedestrian injury and fatality data are from the 1997 and 1998 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) managed by the California Department of Highway Patrol. Population estimates are from the California Department of Finance and have been updated to reflect the most recent revisions to county population totals. Pedestrian incident rates are calculated by dividing all pedestrian injuries and fatalities by population and then multiplying by 100,000. The pedestrian exposure rate is taken from the 1990 U.S. Census journey to work data, and reflects the approximate percentage of people walking to work multiplied by 100. This is widely seen as the best available surrogate for overall levels of pedestrian activity. What is important about the journey to work data is that it establishes an indication of basic exposure for pedestrians. It is most important in establishing a measure of relative exposure between counties, and for this purpose it is likely a conservative estimate. The California Pedestrian Danger Index is calculated by dividing the pedestrian incident rate by the pedestrian exposure rate and then adjusting the number to a 0-100 scale where the highest ranking county scores 100 and all other counties are adjusted accordingly to the same scale.

TABLE 2: Pedestrian fatality and total traffic fatality data are from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) managed by the California Department of Highway Patrol. Percent of all traffic fatalities that are pedestrians is a simple ratio of pedestrian fatalities to all traffic fatalities.

TABLE 3: Child pedestrian fatality and injury data is taken from California Department of Health Services 1996 Injury Tables for Deaths and Nonfatal Hospitalizations. Population estimates are from the California Department of Finance as published in the 1996 California Injury Tables. Incident rates are calculated by dividing the total number of deaths and injuries by population and multiplying by 100,000. It should be noted that the Department of Health Services Injury Tables capture only fatal and nonfatal hospitalized injuries and are thus a subset of total traffic-related injuries.

TABLE 4: Child pedestrian fatality and injury data is taken from California Department of Health Services 1996 Injury Tables for Deaths and Nonfatal Hospitalizations. Population estimates are from the California Department of Finance as published in the 1996 California Injury Tables. Shares of both incidents and population are basic percentages. Ratio is the share of incidents divided by the share of population. It should be noted that the Department of Health Services Injury Tables capture only fatal and nonfatal hospitalized injuries and are thus a subset of total traffic-related injuries.

TABLE 5: Child pedestrian fatality and injury data by race was produced by the Latino Issues Forum and is derived from the California Department of Health Services 1996 Death Records and 1996 Hospital Discharge Dataset from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Population estimates are from the California Department of Finance. Shares of both incidents and population are basic percentages. It should be noted that the data  is based on fatal and nonfatal hospitalized injuries and are thus a subset of total traffic-related injuries.

The California Department of Health Services takes no responsibility for the presentation, analysis, or interpretation of the data provided.