Non-fatal work-related motor vehicle traffic crash injuries in New Zealand: analysis of a national claims database.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes event rates and associated costs from non-fatal work-related motor vehicle traffic crash (WR MVTC) injuries on public roads in New Zealand based on an analysis of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) entitlement claims database.


METHODS
WR MVTC injury claims between July 2004 and June 2006 were identified from the ACC Motor Vehicle Account. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to describe the characteristics of the claims. Injury rates were estimated where appropriate.


RESULTS
The overall age-standardised rate of non-fatal WR MVTC injury claims during the study period was 109 per 100,000 workers per year. The majority of claimants were male (75%) and New Zealand (NZ) European (67%), and one in three of these injuries occurred among plant and machine operators and assemblers. In contrast to rates of road traffic injury resulting in deaths and hospital admissions in NZ, younger and older workers had similar proportionate representation in the claims data. The total cost associated with the 1968 claims made during the 12 months from July 2004 to June 2005 was approximately NZ$6 million, with an average cost per claim of NZ$2884.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge this is the first published analysis of non-fatal WR MVTC injury claims in New Zealand. These analyses identify industry and demographic groups that appear to be at increased risk of WR MVTC injuries that could be targeted for preventive interventions. However, a number of limitations in the database, including uncertainties regarding the definition and coding of crashes deemed as "work-related", under-reporting of claims, and lack of a reliable indicator of injury severity significantly compromised our ability to interpret the results. Considerable improvement in the quality and reporting of claims data is required to facilitate the utility of this information to inform injury prevention strategies.
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices