Traffic injury prevention
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
The effect of earlier or automatic collision notification on traffic mortality by survival analysis.
This article explores the effects of earlier emergency medical services (EMS) or automatic collision notification (ACN) and EMS arrival on passenger/driver survivability within the short time frame following traffic crashes. ⋯ This article obtains the driver/passenger survival probability differences over time under different conditions of collision notifications, EMS arrivals, and crash locations; furthermore, this analysis provides an estimation of the lives that could potentially be saved (approximately 154 to 290 per year) due to earlier ACN.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
Child and youth traffic-related injuries: use of a trauma registry to identify priorities for prevention in the United Arab Emirates.
Traffic-related injuries are the main cause of death during childhood and youth in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), use of safety restraints by citizens is uncommon, rollovers are frequent, and current legislation does not protect rear-seat occupants. Because little was known about the circumstances of hospitalizations for traffic injuries to guide prevention, a trauma registry was used to assess causes and determinants for traffic-related injuries during childhood and youth (<19 years) and its value for prevention. ⋯ Male drivers and vulnerable road users were at an unusually high risk relative to females. A relatively high frequency of traffic-related head injuries among UAE children and youth, including rear-seat passengers and other vehicle occupants, suggests that considerable preventable morbidity is associated with nonuse of safety restraints and/or other factors such as excess speed and rollovers of 4-wheel drive vehicles. Trauma registries can be useful for prevention; inclusion of data on safety restraints and helmet use by road user type is essential.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
Comparative StudyFifteen-passenger vans and other transportation options: a comparison of driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics.
Fifteen-passenger vans (15-PVs) are a convenient and economical way to transport small groups of people and many educational, community, and health organizations utilize them. Given recent tragic crashes involving 15-PVs, many organizations are reconsidering their use. The goal of this study was to examine driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics of fatal 15-PV collisions over the past 2 decades in comparison to 3 other common vehicle classes. ⋯ Drivers need to be aware that as occupancy rates of the vehicles they drive rise so does the risk of rollover and fatalities, especially among minivans and 15-PVs. Organizations transporting groups need to balance cost and safety management by selecting vehicle types and drivers with acute awareness of the risks involved.
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To assess the blood alcohol concentration (BAC; dependent variable) of patients with road traffic injuries (RTIs) presenting at 3 provincial and central hospitals in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam by age, sex, and road user type (independent variables). This survey formed part of the Viet Nam Road Traffic Injury Prevention Project, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. ⋯ The results of this preliminary study indicate that 29.1 percent of all car drivers and motorcycle riders presenting at hospitals with RTIs exceeded the legal BAC limit for operating a motor vehicle. Though further study is required, this is suggestive that strengthening the enforcement of drink-driving laws is an urgent national road safety priority.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
Importance of muscle activations for biofidelic pediatric neck response in computational models.
During dynamic injury scenarios, such as motor vehicle crashes, neck biomechanics contribute to head excursion and acceleration, influencing head injuries. One important tool in understanding head and neck dynamics is computational modeling. However, realistic and stable muscle activations for major muscles are required to realize meaningful kinematic responses. The objective was to determine cervical muscle activation states for 6-year-old, 10-year-old, and adult 50th percentile male computational head and neck models. Currently, pediatric models including muscle activations are unable to maintain the head in an equilibrium position, forcing models to begin from nonphysiologic conditions. Recent work has realized a stationary initial geometry and cervical muscle activations by first optimizing responses against gravity. Accordingly, our goal was to apply these methods to Duke University's head-neck model validated using living muscle response and pediatric cadaveric data. ⋯ Though muscular loads were not large enough to cause vertebral compressive failure, they would provide a prestressed state that could protect the vertebrae during tensile loading but might exacerbate risk during compressive loading. For example, in the 10-year-old, a load of 602 N was produced, though estimated compressive failure tolerance is only 2.8 kN. Including muscles and time-variant activation schemes is vital for producing biofidelic models because both vary by age. The pediatric activations developed represent physiologically appropriate sets of initial conditions and are based on validated adult cadaveric data.