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The authors used traffic exposure data to calculate exposure-based fatal and nonfatal traffic injury rates in the United States. Nationally representative data were used to identify fatal and nonfatal traffic injuries that occurred from 1999 to 2003, and the 2001 National Household Travel Survey was used to estimate traffic exposure (i.e., person-trips). Fatal and nonfatal traffic injury rates per 100 million person-trips were calculated by mode of travel, sex, and age group. The overall fatal traffic injury rate was 10.4 per 100 million person-trips. Fatal injury rates were highest for motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The nonfatal traffic injury rate was 754.6 per 100 million person-trips. Nonfatal injury rates were highest for motorcyclists and bicyclists. Exposure-based traffic injury rates varied by mode of travel, sex, and age group. Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists faced increased injury risks. Males, adolescents, and the elderly were also at increased risk. Effective interventions are available and should be implemented to protect these vulnerable road users.

IntroductionTraumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an important public health problem in the United States (US) resulting in disabling conditions and long-term societal costs. Thus, there a compelling need for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation initiatives informed by national, population-based data.ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence and incidence of TBI in the US utilizing several nationally representative data sets.MethodsTo produce national estimates, we averaged and analysed data from 2002–2006 for TBI-related visits to hospital-based emergency departments (EDs), hospitalisations, and deaths from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the National Vital Statistics System, respectively.ResultsFor 2002–2006, the estimated average annual incidence of TBI was 1.7 million, including 52 000 deaths, 275 000 hospitalisations, and 1 365 000 ED visits. For all age groups, the leading external causes were as follows: falls (35.2%); motor vehicle traffic (17.3%); struck by/against events (16.5%); assaults (10%). Rates were higher for males than females in all age groups. Falls produced the greatest number of TBI-related ED visits, (523 043) and hospitalizations (62 334). Motor vehicle traffic was the leading cause of TBI death, with rates highest among those 20–24 years. Children 0–4 years, adolescents 15–19 years, and adults >65 years were most likely to sustain a TBI and adults >75 years had the highest rate for hospitalisation and death. Annually, almost half a million TBI-related ED visits, 473 947, were made by children aged 0–4 years. TBI was a contributing factor to one third of all injury related deaths in the US.

The relationship between medical conditions and driving is complex; while medical conditions were the most common reason given for driving cessation, those who stopped had fewer medical conditions than current drivers. This suggests that a broader measure of general health or functional ability may play a dominant role in decisions to stop driving.