Developmental patterns of expected consequences for simulated bicycle injury events.

Bicycle injuries follow a developmental pattern that differs from that of most injuries, where toddlers and individuals in young adulthood are most at risk. Children in late childhood and early adolescence appear most at risk for bicycle injuries. The present study of 2nd-grade, 4th-grade, 6th-grade, and undergraduate college students documented that after videotaped simulations of bicycle injury events, younger children anticipated greater injury severity and more fear than older children and adolescents. The potential influence of reduced expectations for injury with increasing age is described, and challenges are advanced for establishing the link between lowered injury expectancies and increased risky behavior.