County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Child Passengers Injured in Alcohol-Related Crashes in San
Diego County
Alan M. SmithJanace A. Pierce
Leslie Upledger RayPatricia A. Murrin
County of San Diego Health and Human Services AgencyDivision of Emergency Medical Services
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Background
• San Diego County:– Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of
death and serious injury to children younger than 15.
• National Studies (Quinlan et al):– 24% of motor vehicle-related deaths in
children younger than 15 report alcohol involvement.
– 64% of children who died and 39% of children who were injured in alcohol-related crashes were passengers of an intoxicated driver.
JAMA. 2000 May 3; 283(17):2249-52
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Research Questions
• How many children are injured while riding with an intoxicated driver?
• How does driver impairment impact restraint use of child passengers ?
• How does driver impairment impact the severity of injury to child passengers?
• At what time of day are child passengers injured or killed by impaired drivers?
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Study Design
Retrospective study of alcohol/drug-related motor vehicle occupant (MVO) crashes with injuries to children under age 15.
Setting: San Diego County, 1996 - 1999
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Data Source
• Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) – Motor Vehicle Occupant (MVO) Crashes – Injury or death of passenger under age 15 reported in crash– DUI crashes –
• Cause = alcohol or drug impairment, and• Party at fault impaired by alcohol or drugs.
– Time Period: 1996 through 1999.
• SWITRS data for San Diego County are maintained by the California Highway Patrol– Additional coding, geolocating performed by San Diego
County EMS
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
VICTIMS
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Child Victims in Traffic Crashes, 1996 to 1999
All CrashesDUI-Related Crashes
Total Victims
0-14 Years9027 369
MVO 6256 (69%) 348 (94%)
MVO Passenger
6202 (69%) 341 (92%)
Victims Age 0-14 Years by Type of Crash
All Crashes
Other3%
n=9027
MVOPassenger
68%
Pedestrian17%
Pedalcycle12%
DUI Crashes
Other3%
n=369
MVOPassenger
92%
Pedalcycle2%
Pedestrian3%
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Child MVO Passenger Victims by DUI Status of Driver at Fault
Non-DUI94%
Victim Driver Impaired
2%
Other Driver Impaired
4%
DUI6%
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Age Group of Victimby Party at Fault
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999
29.10%
37.90%
20.60%
37.00%
33.00%
42.40%
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%
Victim Driver at Fault Other Driver at Fault
0 to 4 5 to 9 10 to 14
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Child Victim Restraint Use in DUI MVO Crashes by Party at Fault
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Restrained Unrestrained Unknown/Other
Perc
ent
Victim- Car Driver at FaultOther Driver at Fault
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Child Passenger Victims in DUI MVO Crashes: Injury Severity by Party at Fault
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
Victim- Car Driver at Fault Other Driver at Fault
Perc
ent
of
Vic
tim
s
Killed Severe Injury
Other Visible Injury Complaint of Pain
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
CRASHES
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Age of Party at Fault by DUI Status and Presence of Child Passengers
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
DUI withChild
DUI noChild
Non-DUIChild
Non DUIno Child
Not Stated
15 to 19
20 to 24
25 to 34
35 to 44
45 to 54
55 to 64
65 to 74
75 to 84
85 and older
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Gender of Party at Fault by DUI Status and Presence of Child Passengers
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
DUI with Child DUI no Child Non-DUI Child Non DUI noChild
Male Female
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Collision Type by DUI Status and Presence of Child Passengers
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
DUI withChild(n=88)
DUI noChild
(n=4500)
Non-DUIChild
(n=1746)
Non-DUIno Child
(n=37,495)
Head-on
Sideswipe
Rear-end
Broadside
Hit Object
Overturned
Other
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Hour When DUI MVO Crashes Occurred
Source: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Division of Emergency Medical Services. SWITRS databases CY 1996 to 1999.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
0001
to 01
00
0101
to 02
00
0201
to 03
00
0301
to 04
00
0401
to 05
00
0501
to 06
00
0601
to 07
00
0701
to 08
00
0801
to 09
00
0901
to 10
00
1000
to 11
00
1101
to 12
00
1201
to 13
00
1301
to 14
00
1401
to 15
00
1501
to 16
00
1601
TO 1
700
1701
TO 1
800
1801
TO 1
900
1901
TO 2
000
2001
TO 2
100
2101
TO 2
200
2201
TO 2
300
2301
TO 0
000
Child Injured
All DUI
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Child Victims in DUI CrashesVersus Child Victims in All Crashes
• Six of every 100 children injured or killed in traffic crashes were injured in DUI crashes.
• 92 percent of children injured or killed in DUI crashes were passengers in motor vehicle occupant crashes.
• 69 percent of children injured or killed in all crashes were passengers in motor vehicle occupant crashes.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Findings: Child Passenger DUI Victims
• One-third of child passenger victims in DUI MVO crashes were passengers of the impaired driver.
• Child victims injured as passengers of the impaired driver were younger than those whose drivers were not impaired.
• Child passengers of impaired drivers were significantly (p=.03) less likely to wear active restraints than passengers in crashes where the other driver was at fault.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Findings (Continued)
• Child passengers in the DUI driver’s car suffered more severe injuries than child passengers whose drivers were not under the influence.
• In contrast to DUI crashes overall, which peaked between 1:00 and 2:00 in the morning, DUI crashes involving children had their highest point between 6:00 and 7:00 in the evening.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Conclusions
• These findings emphasize the need to educate parents about the danger, not only to themselves, but also to their passengers, of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs also use bad judgement by carrying children in their car and by not ensuring that the children are properly restrained.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Acknowledgements
• The data collection efforts of the police and sheriffs throughout the County are gratefully acknowledged, as is the cooperation of State staff for providing the SWITRS data to San Diego County.
County of San Diego Division of Emergency Medical Services
EMS
Contact Information
Alan M. SmithCounty of San Diego
Health and Human Services AgencyEmergency Medical Services
6255 Mission Gorge RoadSan Diego, CA 92120 (619) 285-6429 phone
(619) 285-6531 [email protected]