Accident; analysis and prevention
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To evaluate the association between chronic medical conditions, functional, cognitive, and visual impairments and driving difficulty and habits among older drivers. ⋯ The results underscore the need to further understand the factors negatively affecting driving independence and mobility in older drivers, as well as the importance of improved communication between older adults and health care professionals regarding driving.
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Insurance claims data were combined with telephone survey and on-site crash investigation data to create the first large scale, child-focused motor vehicle crash surveillance system in the US. Novel data management and transfer techniques were used to create a nearly real-time data collection system. ⋯ C. Partners for Child Passenger Safety is similar in its design and overall objectives to National Automotive Sampling System (NASS), the only other population-based crash surveillance system currently operating in the US.
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Bicycle helmet efficacy was quantified using a formal meta-analytic approach based on peer-reviewed studies. Only those studies with individual injury and helmet use data were included. Based on studies from several countries published in the period 1987-1998, the summary odds ratio estimate for efficacy is 0.40 (95% confidence interval 0.29, 0.55) for head injury, 0.42 (0.26, 0.67) for brain injury, 0.53 (0.39, 0.73) for facial injury and 0.27 (0.10, 0.71) for fatal injury. ⋯ In conclusion, the evidence is clear that bicycle helmets prevent serious injury and even death. Despite this, the use of helmets is sub-optimal. Helmet use for all riders should be further encouraged to the extent that it is uniformly accepted and analogous to the use of seat belts by motor vehicle occupants.