Aging Begins at 30

Keep Up Efforts For Traffic Safety

Driving safety concerns us all especially the elderly. So much has been achieved, yet there is much to be done. Motor-vehicle related deaths have been reduced from 18 per million vehicle miles traveled in 1925 to 2 per million in 1997. In this period vehicle miles traveled have increased from one billion to 2,500 billion. The motorization of America means that six times as many people travel today as in 1925, vehicles have increased eleven fold and miles traveled ten fold.

In 1966 following 5 years of increasing car fatalities a prevention program was instituted by the National Highway Safety Administration by the Highway Safety Act. Dr. William Hadden proposed studying the situation like an epidemic infection might be studied as public health problem. This meant studying interactions before, during and after crashes, considering the host (or driver and pedestrian) the infectious agent (or motor vehicle) and environmental factors (or the highway). Many changes in driver education, vehicle and highway design have resulted.

Cars are now built with head rests, energy absorbing steering wheels, shatter resistant windshields and safety belts.

Roads have been edge and center lined, breakaway signs and utility poles were introduced, improved illumination, barriers now separate oncoming traffic lanes and guardrails have been added.

Changes in driver and passenger behavior were encouraged by driver education, law enforcement especially against drunk driving. Child safety seat laws were enforced and in many states, though not in Iowa, motorcycle helmet and cyclist helmet laws were imposed. Seat belt law enforcement increased belt use from 11% to nearly 70% and decreased fatalities about 30%.

Concerns still to be dealt with are alcohol impaired drivers. Though there has been a 39% decrease since 1982 alcohol still is involved in 38% of all traffic deaths. Some general decrease in per capita alcohol consumption and the use of designated drivers has helped. Young drivers have 28.3 deaths per 100,000 population compared to the general population rate of 13.3. The enforcement of underage drinker laws and graduated driver licensing laws such as night time restrictions for new drivers has helped. Further efforts to identify drivers impaired by lack of sleep or other physical problems need to be considered.

Pedestrian fatality rates have decreased 41% from 4 per 100,000 in 1975 to 2.3 in 1997 but they still account for 13% of motor vehicle related deaths. Better side-walks would help.

Motor vehicle safety has been a significant accomplishment. It combines programs by federal and state governments, academic institutions, community based organizations and industry. Laws affecting licensing, vehicle inspection regulation, biomechanical improvement and advocacy groups have all contributed. This has been described as a major 20^th Century achievement in public health. The burden of injury has been lessened but we need to do even better.

We are thinking about car safety this week because we have just bought a new car with safer air bags because my wife who is on blood thinners would easily have more severe injuries with an overactive air bag. Are you doing all you can to minimize any injury you might get in an automobile accident?

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