Bedard et al identified a number of risk factors for death of the driver in a vehicle accident. These can help identify possible interventions to reduce fatal accidents. The authors are from Lakehead University, McMaster University and the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
NOTE: Passenger death was not targeted in the study.
Parameters:
(1) age of the patient
(2) gender of the patient
(3) ethanol intoxication
(4) side impact
(5) vehicle speed prior to impact
(6) use and type of seat belt
Risk Factor |
Increased Risk |
Reference |
Decreased Risk |
age |
>= 50 years |
40 - 49 years |
16 - 39 years |
gender |
female |
male |
NA |
blood alcohol content |
>= 0.20 g/dL |
none |
< 0.20 g/dL |
impact |
driver's side |
front |
right side or rear |
vehicle speed |
>= 96 kph |
< 56 kph |
|
seat belt |
none |
|
shoulder, lap or both |
from Table 9, page 723
Risk factors associated with high risk of death included:
(1) age >= 80 years of age
(2) female gender
(3) blood alcohol content >= 0.30 g/dL
(4) driver's side impact
(5) no seat or shoulder belt
(6) vehicle speed >= 112 kph (>= 69 miles per hour)
Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
ICD-10: ,