Which of the following is true about children involved in pedestrian MVAs?

• A. Have contralateral long bone fractures
• B. Tend to stop and face the oncoming vehicle
• C. Have lateral injuries from attempting to hurry across the street
• D. Tend to be run over by two sets of tires

Answer: (B)

In pediatric pedestrian crashes, a key pattern is how children react when a vehicle approaches. Many kids instinctively freeze and turn to face the oncoming car rather than attempting to run away. This behavior makes a direct frontal strike more likely and shapes the injury they sustain, often beginning with the initial impact from the front of the vehicle and potential downstream consequences. That is why the statement about stopping and facing the oncoming vehicle best reflects what is commonly seen in children during these incidents. The other options describe less typical injury scenarios and aren’t as representative of pediatric pedestrian crashes.