Injuries related to car crime: the joy-riding epidemic.
'Joy-riding' is the term used, somewhat inappropriately, for the offence of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. In certain areas, mainly deprived inner-city estates, there has been an increase in this crime. The aim of this study was to investigate its impact on the workload of an inner-city teaching hospital's busy accident and orthopaedic departments. In this prospective study, all patients admitted to hospital as a result of road-traffic accidents (RTAs) were identified during a 9 month period. A total of 1576 patients were admitted to the trauma unit. One hundred and fifty-two admissions were as a result of RTA and 20 (13 per cent) of these patients had injuries as a result of car crime. Of this group, eight were severely injured (ISS > 16) and six of these were innocent bystanders. Three patients (one joy-rider and two innocent bystanders) died as a result of car crime. The average length of hospital stay was 12 days (1-62 days) and the hospital in-patient costs were estimated to be at least 5200 pounds per patient. Injuries related to car crime results in a significant amount of work and financial cost to the National Health Service.
Marshall
C
C
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Boyd
K T
KT
Moran
C G
CG
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000191:economics; D013800:Theft / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*