 |
|
Did you know?
Passenger protection in school buses: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa examined a rollover school bus crash in which one child died of a severe head injury. All three children who suffered fractures were seated on the side to which the bus rolled. Canadian school buses protect passengers by compartmentalization with surrounding passive restraints. The study suggested that extending the padding to the sides, over the window headers, and on the paneling between the windows could reduce the number and severity of injuries in this type of crash.
P.C. Lapner et al. Mechanism of injury in the unrestrained child in a school bus collision. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, April 2004; 39(4): 648-649.
Daylight saving time: A US study suggests that full year daylight saving time would reduce pedestrian fatalities by 13 per cent of all pedestrian fatalities in the 5:00-10.00 a.m. and in the 4:00-9:00 p.m. time periods. Motor vehicle occupant fatalities would be reduced by 3 per cent, during the same time periods. Multivariate analyses of county level data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System for two-week periods in 1998 and 1999 were used.
Coate D, Markowitz S. The effects of daylight and daylight saving time on US pedestrian fatalities and motor vehicle occupant fatalities. Accident Analysis and Prevention, April 2004; 36(3): 351-357.
Higher speed limits: In 1993, the speed limit was raised on three major highways in Israel from 90 to 100 km/h. Over the following five years, speeds rose by 4.5 per cent to 9.1 per cent, and there was a sustained increase in deaths (15 per cent) and case fatality rates (38 per cent) on all interurban roads. Corresponding increases in deaths (13 per cent) and case fatality (24 per cent) on urban roads indicated "speed spillover." Countermeasures and congestion reduced the impact on deaths and case-fatality rates by more than half.
Richter ED et al. Raised speed limits, speed spillover, case-fatality rates, and road deaths in Israel: a 5-year follow-up. American Journal of Public Health, April 2004; 94(4): 568-574.
Drug overdose poisonings: A study by the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre in Melbourne, Australia found overdoses from medications far more common those from illicit drugs and alcohol. Ambulance attendances for non-fatal overdoses of prescription or over-the-counter drugs rose by almost 2,500 in the two years of the study compared with the previous two years. Researchers believe most of the overdoses are intentional. Unintentional overdoses include elderly who forget they have taken their medication and take more, and children who think pills are candy
Carol Nader. Legal drugs are overdosers' choice. The Sydney Morning Herald, April 23, 2004.
Collisions with animals: Motor vehicle crashes with deer, moose, elk and other wildlife have been on the rise in the US. While collisions with moose and elk are the most serious, more than 90 per cent of the collisions involve deer. More and more federal and state highways are installing technology to prevent traffic from hitting animals, such as flashing animal-warning signs. The problem has led to a new transportation bill in the US which would require all state transportation departments to consult with fish and game agencies when planning roads built with federal funding.
B. Harden. States act on animal-car crashes. The Washington Post, May 4, 2004.
Alcohol emergencies: A report from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that alcohol-related visits to hospital emergency departments (EDs) are three times higher than previously thought, and increased 18 per cent during the nine years of the study. ED visits attributable to alcohol include unintentional and intentional injuries, as well as illnesses such as diabetes. The burden has been underestimated because patients may not disclose their use of alcohol, and emergency personnel may not identify signs of alcohol abuse. It could be reduced by screening to identify alcohol involvement, so that the patient can be referred for treatment.
Carlos A. Camargo et al. US Emergency Department Visits for Alcohol-Related Diseases and Injuries Between 1992 and 2000. Archives of Internal Medicine, March 8, 2004;164:531-537.
Return to top of page
|
|
|
Safety Canada July 2004 |
|
