# Causal Factors in Elderly Pedestrian Traffic Injuries Based on Association Analysis
## 1 Introduction  
In 2024, 11.5% of the global population was aged 65 and over, while the corresponding proportion in China was 15.4% [1]. Elderly individuals are more vulnerable to accidents in road traffic due to physical limitations such as reduced dexterity, impaired vision, and hearing loss. Moreover, with the decline in physical resilience associated with aging, elderly individuals face a significantly higher risk of mortality compared with other age groups [2, 3, 4]. Consequently, research on the causes of injuries and preventive strategies for elderly individuals involved in traffic accidents is of critical importance. Current research on pedestrian safety primarily focuses on specific injury locations in pedestrian accidents, with an emphasis on vulnerable areas such as the head [5], chest [6], and lower limbs [7]. Among these, head injuries are associated with the highest fatality rates [8]. [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] et al. [9, 10, 11, 12] identified that factors related to the road, environment, vehicle, driver, and pedestrian are all linked to fatal pedestrian accidents. [PERSON] and [PERSON] et al. [13, 14] conducted further studies on the impact of road attributes on accidents. They discovered that for every 1.0 m/km increase in the international roughness index (IRI) of the road surface, the logarithmic values of accidents on two-lane undivided highways and highways without central barriers increasedby 0.048 and 0.013, respectively. Resurfacing the road to improve surface conditions led to a 26% reduction in fatal and injury accidents. Additionally, the driving environment influenced the likelihood of accidents. [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] et al. [15; 16; 17] analyzed the probabilities of traffic accidents under various environmental conditions and found that adverse weather conditions (e.g., rainy or snowy weather) or poor visibility (e.g., unlit nights) increased the likelihood of accidents by 15.3% and 11.6%, respectively, compared with conditions with favorable weather and visibility. However, studies by [PERSON] and [PERSON] et al. [18; 19] indicate that, under adverse driving conditions, drivers tend to adopt more cautious driving behaviors, resulting in a 25.7% reduction in the probability of accidents within a driving duration of two hours, with less severe consequences. In vehicle/pedestrian collisions, the human body is subjected to a severe impact from the front of the vehicle within a short time, and the structure of the vehicle's front end significantly influences the severity of pedestrian injuries [20]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] et al. [21; 22] investigated the impact of vehicle front-end geometry on pedestrian injury outcomes. Their findings indicated that, when the vehicle's front-end height exceeded 80 cm, the pedestrian head injury criterion (HIC) values were approximately 35-50% higher than those for traditional sedans. Additionally, when the vehicle type changed from a compact car to a large SUV or light truck, the overall pedestrian fatality rate increased by approximately 15-25%. Additionally, driver behavior plays a predominant role in influencing accidents [23; 24]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] et al. [25; 26] identified distracted driving, alcohol consumption, lane changes, and speeding violations as the most critical factors contributing to traffic accidents. More than 35% of speeding-related accidents resulted in fatalities, with elderly pedestrians facing an even higher mortality rate after collisions with motor vehicles [27]. The aforementioned studies highlight that multiple factors, including road conditions, the environment, vehicles, and drivers, significantly affect the occurrence and severity of pedestrian accidents. However, few studies specifically address the causes of accidents involving elderly pedestrians, with most research only including the elderly as a subgroup in age-related classifications.