This is a two‐part study. The main part reports on all car occupant patients coming to the accident and emergency departments of 14 hospitals in the United Kingdom in the years immediately before and after the introduction of seat belt legislation. This included about 5% of such casualties in the country. Using the strict methodology of stating expected changes in the form of hypotheses prior to analysis, it was confirmed that a large number of improvements occurred. These included a reduction in the total number of patients, number of bed days, multiplicity of injuries, injuries to the brain and chest, and many facial injuries. It was confirmed that after legislation there was some increase in neck sprains and sternum fractures. Front‐seat passengers obtained much greater benefits than did drivers.
In a much smaller study in fatalities (again covering about 5% of fatalities in the country) it appeared that improvements occurred in head, chest, and abdomen injury, while limb injuries were not greatly changed and spinal injuries increased.
Compulsory wearing of seat belts in the United Kingdom—the effect on patients and on fatalities
Transport Reviews ; 7 , 3 ; 245-257
1987-07-01
13 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
Unknown
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