A Comparison Between 1998 and 1999 - TN.gov€¦ · The type of injuries, their severity, and the...
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A Comparison Between 1998 and 1999 Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System Injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes remain a major public health problem. These injuries cause unnecessary burden of increased taxes and insurance premiums. They can be prevented, or reduced, but only if we understand what the severity of these crashes is, and their associated health care costs. Crash data alone do not indicate the injury problem in terms of the medical and financial consequences. By linking crash, vehicle, and behavior characteristics to their specific medical and financial outcomes, we can identify prevention factors. -National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) evolved from a congressional mandate to report on the benefits of safety belts and motorcycle helmets. NHTSA has funded Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin to link statewide crash and injury data. Tennessee has been an active participant in this project since 2001. At the current time, the CODES project is able to link crash data from the Department of Safety, and medical data from emergency rooms, hospitals, and trauma from the Department of Health, as well as information from the Department of Transportation. The type of injuries, their severity, and the cost incurred by persons injured in motor vehicle crashes are described and computerized and this statewide data are linked with other related data and evaluated. This linked data identifies the types of injuries and the costs that result from specific driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics. Vehicle crash data in this newsletter reflects the comparison of driver safety belt usage and hospital costs for 1998 and 1999. The police officer indicates on the crash report whether the drivers were wearing safety belts or not at the crash site. In Tennessee, safety belt usage was 84 percent among female drivers in crashes both in 1998 and 1999. In contrast, only 71 percent of all male drivers involved in crashes used safety belts both years. This is a significant difference in usage. Between males and females, there was no improvement of usage in either sex. Out of 15,739 female drivers in 1998, 2,490 did not wear safety belts. In 1999, of 14,723 female drivers aged 15 and up, 2,298 did not wear safety belts. Out of 13,094 male drivers in 1998, 3,820 did not wear safety belts. In 1999, 3,702 of 12,855 male drivers aged 15 and up did not wear safety belts. 15-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70+ Male 1998 Male 1999 Female 1998 Female 1999 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 5% 0% Percentage 1 CODES Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System Percentage of Drivers Not Wearing Safety Belts at Time of Crash by Gender and Age 1998 and 1999
Transcript of A Comparison Between 1998 and 1999 - TN.gov€¦ · The type of injuries, their severity, and the...
A Comparison Between 1998 and 1999Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes remain a major public healthproblem. These injuries cause unnecessary burden of increased taxes andinsurance premiums. They can be prevented, or reduced, but only if weunderstand what the severity of these crashes is, and their associated healthcare costs. Crash data alone do not indicate the injury problem in terms ofthe medical and financial consequences. By linking crash, vehicle, andbehavior characteristics to their specific medical and financialoutcomes, we can identify prevention factors.
-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES)evolved from a congressional mandate to report on thebenefits of safety belts and motorcycle helmets. NHTSAhas funded Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware,Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada,New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota,Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina,South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin to linkstatewide crash and injury data. Tennessee has been anactive participant in this project since 2001.
At the current time, the CODES project is able to linkcrash data from the Department of Safety, and medical data fromemergency rooms, hospitals, and trauma from the Department ofHealth, as well as information from the Department ofTransportation. The type of injuries, their severity, and the costincurred by persons injured in motor vehicle crashes aredescribed and computerized and this statewide data are linkedwith other related data and evaluated. This linked data identifiesthe types of injuries and the costs that result from specific driver,vehicle, and crash characteristics.
Vehicle crash data in this newsletter reflects the comparison ofdriver safety belt usage and hospital costs for 1998 and 1999.The police officer indicates on the crash report whether thedrivers were wearing safety belts or not at the crash site.
In Tennessee, safety belt usage was 84 percent among femaledrivers in crashes both in 1998 and 1999. In contrast, only 71
percent of all male drivers involved in crashes used safety beltsboth years. This is a significant difference in usage. Betweenmales and females, there was no improvement of usage in eithersex. Out of 15,739 female drivers in 1998, 2,490 did not wearsafety belts. In 1999, of 14,723 female drivers aged 15 and up,
2,298 did not wear safety belts. Out of 13,094 male drivers in1998, 3,820 did not wear safety belts. In 1999, 3,702 of12,855 male drivers aged 15 and up did not wear safetybelts.
15-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70+
Male 1998
Male 1999
Female 1998
Female 1999
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
5%
0%
Perc
enta
ge
1CODES
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemPercentage of Drivers Not Wearing Safety Belts at Time of Crash by Gender and Age
1998 and 1999
1998 1999 1998 1999
Male Female
White
Black
12,000
9,000
6,000
3,000
0
Num
ber o
f Driv
ers 8,989
2,735
9,582
1,933
10,532
3,794
10,720
2,672
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemDistribution of White and Black Drivers by Gender
1998 and 1999
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
The following graphs show thedistribution and hospital costs of young, middle aged, andelderly drivers. For this newsletter, the young drivers areclassified as 15-19 years of age, the middle aged are 20-74,and the elderly are aged 75 and above. Hospital costsassociated with young drivers are not as high, in large part,because they heal faster and have fewer complications.Elderly drivers, on the other hand, have higher hospital costsbecause they do not heal as fast and more complications arelikely to be involved. Of those wearing safety belts, in 1998,elderly female drivers cost an average of 280 percent morethan young female drivers, and in 1999, the average rose tobe 406 percent higher than for young female drivers. Elderlymale drivers cost an average of 179 percent more in 1998,and 129 percent more in 1999 than young male drivers.Without safety belts, elderly female drivers in 1998 cost anaverage of 147 percent more and in 1999, 151 percent more.For 1998, elderly male drivers cost an average of 242 percentmore than young male drivers and in 1999, the increase was125 percent over young male drivers.
Total hospital costs increased 12 percent for 1999 over1998 ($66,677,834 and $59,602,365, respectively) andaverage costs increased by 17 percent ($2,418 and$2,067, respectively). This is an interesting phenomenonsince the number of total accidents decreased. However,the number of drivers increased, indicating that there weremore multi-vehicle accidents. The general inflation rate for
1999 was 2.2 percent. The increase, however, in medicalcare and medical care services was 3.5 percent and 3.4percent, respectively. Medical costs rose more than thegeneral inflation rate by 59 percent. Keep in mind that theincreases in hospital costs per person in 1999 will bepartly due to this increase in hospital costs.
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
Number of Drivers
15-19
20-74
75+
1998
1999
23,4014,556
876
22,2414,489
848
$0 $10 million $20 million $30 million $40 million $50 million $60 million
Hospital Costs
1998
1999
15-19
20-74
75+
$48,642,552$6,988,392
$3,971,422
$53,344,078$8,712,847
$4,620,909
$0 $2,000 $4,000 $6,000
Average Hospital Costs
1998
1999
15-19
20-74
75+
$2,079$1,534
$4,534
$2,398
$1,941
$5,449
1998 1999 1998 1999
Male Female
White
Black
All
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Perc
enta
ge
All includes drivers ofall races involved inccrashes.
Automobile Crashes Comparing Safety Belt Usage By Driver Vs. Cost By Race And Sex
2CODES
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemPercentage of Drivers Wearing Safety Belts at Time of Crash by Race and Gender
1998 and 1999
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemDistribution of Young, Middle Aged, and Elderly Drivers
1998 and 1999
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemDistribution of Hospital Costs by Young, Middle Aged,
and Elderly Drivers1998 and 1999
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemComparison of Average Hospital Costs of Young, Middle Aged,
and Elderly Drivers1998 and 1999
Black female drivers were the groupmost likely to wear safety belts. Safetybelt usage by black female driversdecreased in 1999 by 3 percent fromthe previous year. Even so, as the graphshows, black drivers wear safety beltsmore than white drivers, and blackmales in particular wear safety belts 10percent more than white males. Thepercentage of males reported with nosafety belt usage was 29 percentcompared to 16 percent of females.
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
In 1998, men accounted for 58 cents ofevery dollar spent on hospital chargesresulting from crashes, and womenaccounted for 42 cents of every dollarcompared to 59 cents and 41 cents in1999.
The total crash related hospital costs in1998 for all female drivers $24,886,090.For all male drivers, the total hospital costs $34,716,275. In1999, the total hospital costs for all female drivers$27,202,768. For all male drivers, the total hospital costs$39,475,066. In female drivers involved in crashes, 1999 sawan increase of 9 percent in total hospital costs ($27,202,768)and an increase of 17 percent in average hospital costs($1,848). In male drivers involved in crashes, 1999 saw anincrease of 14 percent in total hospital costs ($39,475,066)and an increase of 16 percent in average hospital costs($3,071).
In 1998, the averagehospital costs permale driver ($1,767when wearing safetybelts and $4,799when not wearingsafety belts) werehigher than averagehospital costs perfemale driver ($1,276when wearing safety belts and $3,205 when not wearingsafety belts). In 1999, the average hospital costs per maledriver ($2,016 when wearing safety belts and $5,680 whennot wearing safety belts) were higher than average hospitalcosts per female driver ($1,551 when wearing safety beltsand $3,450 when not wearing safety belts). It may beconcluded that male drivers were more severely injured thanfemale drivers. In 1999, the additional hospital costs incurreddue to male drivers not wearing safety belts exceeded thecosts from the previous year by $1.8 million. This cost aloneincreased by 15 percent. From year to year, several factors inaddition to safety belt usage may contribute to the variation incosts. Some factors could include the number of crashes,number of drivers, and the rise in hospital costs and inflationin that year. For both sexes, the two year total potentialsavings combined would have been more than $35 million.
Male Female Male Female 1998 1999$34,716,275 $24,886,090 $39,475,066 $27,202,768 $59,602,365 $66,677,834$22,699,743 $19,908,269 $25,646,030 $22,609,394 $42,555,810 $48,023,601
Actual Hospital CostsExpected Hospital Costs
$70,000,000
$60,000,000
$50,000,000
$40,000,000
$30,000,000
$20,000,000
$10,000,000
$0
Hosp
ital C
osts
1999
1998
1998 Gender Breakdown
1999 Gender Breakdown
All Drivers Totals
1998 1999
No Safety Belt
Safety Belt
$6,000
$5,000
$4,000
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
$0
Aver
age
Hosp
ital C
osts
MaleFemaleMaleFemale
$1,276$1,767
$1,551$2,016
$3,205
$4,799
$3,450
$5,680
Automobile Crashes Comparing Safety Belt Usage By Driver Vs. Cost By Race And Sex
3CODES
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemActual Hospital Costs vs. Expected if All Drivers Wore Safety Belts
1998 and 1999
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemAverage Hospital Costs Based on Safety Belt Usage by Gender
1998 and 1999
15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64
$10,000
$8,000
$6,000
$4,000
$2,000
$0Aver
age
Hosp
ital C
osts
Male 1998 Male 1999 Female 1998 Female 1999
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemDifference in Average Hospital Costs of Non-Restrained Drivers 15-64 Years by Gender
1998 and 1999
More than $17 million in
hospital charges could have
been saved in 1998 and $18
million in 1999 if all drivers
had worn safety belts.
For ages 15-64, the average
male driver in 1998 and 1999
suffered more severe injuries
when not wearing a safety belt
than the average female driver.
On average, hospital costs
per driver increase an
incredible 157% when driver
is wearing no safety belt.
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Unbelted drivers only have a 12 percent chanceof escaping without pain, injury, or death. On theother hand, belted drivers have about a 30percent chance. About 94 percent of all belteddrivers will walk away with nothing worse thanbruises. Only 80 percent of unbelted crash driverscan claim that.
The chances of dying in a crash increase whennot wearing safety belts. In 1998, an unbelteddriver was 4.4 times more likely to die from anangle collision, 4.4 times more likely to die from ahead-on collision, 12 times more likely to die froma sideswipe collision, and 17 times more likely todie from a rear-end collision. In 1999, an unbelteddriver was 7.2 times more likely to die from anangle collision, 7.9 times more likely from a head-on collision, 2.8 times more likely from asideswipe collision,and 33.9 timesmore likely from arear-end collision. In1998, 6 out of 10drivers killed incrashes were notwearing safety belts.In 1999, it was 7out of 10. No matterwhat type ofcollision, drivers arealways more likely tosurvive if wearing asafety belt.
Please visit the Tennessee Department of Health Website:tennessee.gov/health
A Comparison Between 1998 and 1999 Automobile Crashes andSafety Belt Usage By Driver Vs. Cost
was published by the Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics,
Cordell Hull Building, Nashville, Tennessee 37247-5262Marguerite Lewis, Director
(615) 741-1954
For additional CODES data, contact the Tennessee Department ofHealth, Health Statistics at the address above or contact the CODES
Analyst at (615) 532-8653.
No Injury Pain But No Brusing, Bleeding FatalityVisible Injury Abrasion Wound
DistortedMember
Type of Injury
1998 Restrained
1998 Non Restrained
1999 Restrained
1999 Non Restrained
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Perc
enta
ge
Automobile Crashes Comparing Safety Belt Usage By Driver Vs. Cost By Race And Sex
4CODES
Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics. Authorization No. 343530, 75 copies,May 2003. This public document was promulgated at a cost of $3.54 per copy.
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemPercentage of Type of Injury By Safety Belt Usage
1998 and 1999
o 10 20 30 40
Increase in Chance of Fatality Not Wearing Safety Belts
1998
1999
Angle
Headon
Sideswipe
Rearend
Type
of C
ollis
ion
7.24.4
7.94.4
2.8
12.0
33.917.0
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemIncrease in Chance of Fatality Not Wearing Safety Belts
1998 and 1999
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation SystemPercentage of Type of Injury by Safety Belt Usage
1998 and 19991998 1999
Restrained Non-Restrained Restrained Non-Restrained
No Injury 27% 11% 32% 13%
Pain But No Visible Injury 38% 29% 36% 28%
Bruising, Abrasion 28% 40% 26% 38%
Bleeding Wound, Distorted Member 6% 19% 6% 18%
Fatality 0% 2% 0% 2%
Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Health Statistics, Tennessee Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
