Invited Commentary on Hellmann, et al: Local Infrastructure and Economy Predicts Traffic Related Fatalities in Children

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are composed of a variety of non-medical factors which can affect health outcomes. As described in Healthy People 2030, these SDOH are broken down into five key domains, one of which is a person's neighborhood and built environment [1]. In this important work by Hellmann and colleagues, the built environment's impact on pediatric traffic-related fatalities was evaluated by considering aspects of local infrastructure and the road, such as the lane's width, the density of intersections, imposed speed limits, and the presence of traffic stops using the National Walkability Index (NWI).