Epidemiology of Motor Vehicle Injuries in Suffolk County, New York Before and After Enactment of the New York State Seat Belt Use Law

摘要

A population-based study of hospital and medical examiner reported vehicular trauma was conducted to determine the efficacy of the New York Law which compared pre-Seat Belt Use Law 1984 occurrence and severity patterns with those of post-Seat Belt Use Law 1985. Vehicles and occupants covered by the Law were identifiedprimarily by matching the hospital cases with official crash reports; 95 percent of the covered cases (N-2152) were matched. From a census of medical examiner's cases covered by the Law (N-192), all were matched. The findings demonstrate a clear shift in the pattern of injuries and a concomitant decline in their severity. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that promulgation and enforcement of belt use laws are contributing to a reduction in the overall occurrence of vehicular injuries and the severity of head injuries.