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Recent Research and Reports
Unbelted passengers endanger others: University of Alabama researchers have found that unbelted occupants put belted occupants at an increased risk of injury and death in the event of a motor vehicle collision. They found that exposure to unbelted occupants was associated with a 40 percent increased risk of any injury. Belted occupants were at a 90 percent increased risk of injury but unbelted occupants were not at increased risk. There was a 4.8-fold increased risk of death for exposed belted occupants but no increased risk of death for unbelted occupants.
PA Maclennan et al., Risk of injury for occupants of motor vehicle collisions from unbelted occupants. Injury Prevention 2004; 10(6): 363-7.
Harsher penalties don’t deter: The New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research examined the rate of road accidents per 100,000 vehicles before and after the statutory penalties for drink-driving offences were doubled in that Australian state. It found significant increases in three non-fatal collision types after the implementation of the new penalties. The observed increase in the rate of single-vehicle night-time crashes, the category most likely to be alcohol-related, was not expected and runs contrary to the anticipated deterrent effect of the new laws.
S. Briscoe, Raising the bar: can increased statutory penalties deter drink-drivers? Accident Analysis and Prevention 2004; 36(5): 919-29.
Older skiers more injury-prone: Ohio State University researchers analyzed 77,300 ski injuries and 62,000 snowboarding injuries. They found older skiers and adolescent snowboarders were the most likely casualties. The age groups with the highest rate of skiing-related injuries per 1,000 participants were: 55-64 years (29.0 per 1,000 participants); 65+ years (21.7), and 45-54 years (15.5). The age groups that have the most snowboarding-related injuries per 1,000 participants were: 10-13 years (15.9), 14-17 years (15.0), and 18-24 years (13.5). Traumatic brain injuries were highest among skiers aged 55-64 (2.15 per 1,000 participants), and younger skiers, 10-13 years (1.69).
H. Xiang et al., Skiing- and Snowboarding-Related Injuries Treated in U.S. Emergency Departments, 2002. Journal of Trauma: Injury Infection & Critical Care. 58(1):112-118, January 2005.
The high cost of wildlife-traffic collisions: After weather, wildlife is the next highest environmental contributing factor for police-attended collisions. In 2002, over 5,000 collisions between wildlife and motor vehicles were reported in British Columbia. These incidents cost the Province an estimated $20 million in motor vehicle insurance claims, $580,000 in highway clean-up costs, $320,000 in lost provincial hunting license revenues, and $30 million in lost value to residents and non-residents who view or hunt wildlife. Over 90 percent involved deer, moose and elk.
British Columbia Ministry of Transportation Wildlife Accident Reporting System. WARS 1983-2002: Wildlife Accident Reporting and Mitigation in British Columbia. Special Annual Report. 2004
Vehicle technology saves lives: A US study found that of all the safety features added since 1960, seat-belts accounted for over half of all lives saved. The number of American lives saved by vehicle safety technologies increased steadily from 115 per year in 1960 to nearly 25,000 per year in 2002. The study examined features such as braking improvements, safety belts, air bags, energy-absorbing steering columns, child safety seats, improved roof strength and side impact protection, shatter-resistant windshields and instrument panel upgrades, but not new technologies like side air bags and electronic stability control systems.
U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Lives Saved by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Other Vehicle Safety Technologies, 1960-2002 - Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. NHTSA Report Number DOT HS 809 833, October 2004
Asbestos a deadly hazard: In 2003, nearly one-third (53 out of 170) of the fatal claims accepted by the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia were the result of exposure to asbestos. About half of these deaths (27) were among workers employed in construction-related industries. Fatal lung diseases are linked to breathing in asbestos fibres without adequate protection more than 20 years ago. Due to the latency of these diseases, it is expected that asbestos-related deaths will not peak until between 2015 and 2020. WorkSafe BC warns that asbestos is a potential hazard in renovation or demolition work, requiring appropriate precautions.
WCB Highlights Danger of Asbestos Exposure. WorkSafe BC News Release, February 23, 2005.
Elderly most susceptible to falls on ice: In 2002-2003, almost 12,000 Ontarians visited an emergency room after falling on ice. Over half (54 percent) of the falls occurred in January and February. The largest number (30 percent) were aged 40 to 59, followed by the 20-to-39 age group (24 percent). Less than one percent — all over age 65 — died. The average hospital stay for those 80 and older was 14.5 days, while 40 to 59 year olds averaged 3.6 days. Measures such as effective snow and ice removal, sand and salt in pedestrian areas, and slip prevention aids on shoes could reduce the risk.
Report released March 2, 2005. Canadian Institute for Health Information.
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Safety Canada (April 2005)
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