The End of the ‘Critical Age of Seven’: Trends in Pedestrian Casualties Among Young Children in Japan

The ‘critical age of seven’ is widely cited in the media to describe higher pedestrian casualty rates among seven-year-old children in Japan. These children are typically in Grade 1 of elementary school. They often commute to school on foot, generally without parental escort, which exposes them to greater traffic risk. However, pedestrian casualty rates for Grade 1 children have fallen by more than half over the past decade. This study suggests that the concept of a ‘critical age of seven’ may be outdated and could lead to misguided road safety policies.