The journey from traffic offender to severe road trauma victim: destiny or preventive opportunity?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Road trauma is a leading cause of death and injury in young people. Traffic offences are common, but their importance as a risk indicator for subsequent road trauma is unknown. This cohort study assessed whether severe road trauma could be predicted by a history of prior traffic offences.

Methodology and principal findings

Clinical data of all adult road trauma patients admitted to the Western Australia (WA) State Trauma Centre between 1998 and 2013 were linked to traffic offences records at the WA Department of Transport. The primary outcomes were alcohol exposure prior to road trauma, severe trauma (defined by Injury Severity Score >15), and intensive care admission (ICU) or death, analyzed by logistic regression. Traffic offences directly leading to the road tr

SUBMITTER: Ho KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4406520 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature