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Recent Research and Reports 

Helmets saved lives: In 1997, Arkansas repealed its mandatory motorcycle helmet law. A 2005 study quantifies the negative effects of this move on road safety. Researchers compared crash rates, helmet usage, and alcohol involvement before (1993 to 1996) and after (1998 to 2001) the repeal. After the repeal, motorcycle registrations went up, as did crashes and fatalities. The proportion of fatalities not wearing a helmet increased from 47 percent (47/100) to 78 percent (104/133). Fatal crashes involving drinking, non-helmeted drivers rose from 14 percent (11/77) to 34 percent (35/104). Drunk bikers killed in crashes were overwhelmingly non-helmeted (87 percent) after the repeal, up from 38 percent before.
Bledsoe GH, Li G. Trends in Arkansas motorcycle trauma after helmet law repeal.
Southern Medical Journal; 98(4): 436-40, April 2005. 

Tire pressure in vans: Crashes involving 12-and 15-passenger vans led to a U.S. study on tire inflation; improperly inflated tires increase the risk of vehicle rollover. It found that 56 percent of large vans had at least one tire under-inflated by 25 percent or more — more than double the rate for passenger cars. Six percent had all four tires under-inflated. In 22 percent, at least one tire was overinflated by at least 25 percent of the manufacturer's recommended pressure. Six percent had both under-inflation and over-inflation. Suggested countermeasures include driver training, equipping vehicles with a tire gauge, and built-in tire pressure monitoring systems.
 Thiriez, Ferguson, Subramanian. 12 and 15 Passenger Vans Tire Pressure Study: Preliminary Results. U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2005.

Binge drinking campaigns: Binge drinking affects two-thirds of Canadians aged 19-24 years. In a survey, 93 percent of post-secondary students said it was alright to get drunk occasionally.  To educate young adults about alcohol poisoning, a network of 16 Ontario Health Units developed and implemented a mass-media campaign. Their evaluation identified the most effective strategies, elements and messages for future campaigns. Key media channels were: television music/video stations; posters in bars, washrooms, campus residences and other areas frequented by young adults; and Internet banners on Web sites popular with students. Campaigns should use language, definitions, graphics to which this group relates.
Jack, S et al. Marketing a Hard-to-Swallow Message. Canadian Journal of Public Health; 96 (3): 189-192, May/June 2005.

Safer shift schedules: A review of the published literature on shiftwork and safety found three main trends in risk: that (i) risk is higher on the night shift, and to a lesser extent the afternoon shift, than on the morning shift; (ii) risk increases over a span of shifts, especially so if they are night shifts; and (iii) risk increases with increasing shift length over eight hours. Based on the practical implications of these trends in risk for the design of safer shift systems, the authors developed a tool to assess different work schedules with respect to their possible impact on safety.
Folkard S, et al. Shiftwork: safety, sleepiness and sleep. Industrial Health 2005; 43(1): 20-3. National Institute of Industrial Health (Japan).

Head injuries in soccer: Researchers at Queen’s University have found that neuropsychological injuries to young soccer players due to purposeful heading the ball are not common. They examined emergency department data from 1996 to 2001 for youths aged 10-24 years in Kingston, Ontario. Of the 235 head injuries, half were to the eyes; 26 percent involved contact with balls and 65 percent contact with other persons. The low number of brain injuries from heading may be due in part to today’s lighter, water-resistant soccer balls, which have less impact force; also, smaller balls are used for younger players.
Pickett, W et al. Head injuries in youth soccer players presenting to the emergency department. British Journal of Sports Medicine; 39:226-231, April 2005. 

Seatbelt use in rural areas: A September 2004 survey of seatbelt use in rural areas of Canada found that only 87 per cent of all occupants of light-duty vehicles buckle up. This is up two per cent from the previous study in 2002 but remains short of the national target of 95 per cent. The survey targeted all occupants of light-duty vehicles — passenger cars, light trucks, minivans and SUVs. It involved 39,769 vehicles and 58,743 occupants at 252 sites.
Transport Canada, May 24, 2005.

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Safety Canada (July 2005)









Motorcycle Helmets Save Lives (April 2002)

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