title: Prospective study of the effect of safety belts in motor vehicle crashes.
abstract: Trauma resulting from motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) is the leading cause of death in persons 1 to 38 years old. The following prospective study was undertaken to assess the effect of safety belts on the types of injuries sustained in MVCs. A total of 1,364 patients from four Chicago-area hospitals were evaluated prospectively during a six-month period. Safety belts reduced the incidence of head, facial, thoracic, abdominal, and extremity injuries sustained in MVCs. Spinal injuries comprised the only group in which safety belt wearers sustained injuries more frequently than safety belt nonwearers. Further research on the different safety belt designs and effects of air bags is needed to reduce the incidence of cervical and lumbar strain in restrained patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Orsay
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Turnbull
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langenberg
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Orsay
mesh_terms: D015998:Abbreviated Injury Scale; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012622:Seat Belts; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*