title: Minor Injury Crashes: Prevalence of Driver-Related Risk Factors and Outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The majority of crashes cause "minor" injuries (i.e., treated and released from the emergency department [ED]). Minor injury crashes are poorly studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine the prevalence of driver-related risk factors and subsequent outcome in drivers involved in minor crashes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed a convenience sample of injured drivers, aged over 17 years, who were treated and released from the ED. Follow-up interviews were conducted 6 months after the crash.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We approached 123 injured drivers; baseline interviews were completed in 69 and follow-up interviews in 45. Prior to the index crash, 1.4% of drivers drank alcohol, 1.4% used illicit drugs, and 7.2% used sedating prescription medications. Nine drivers (13%) were distracted. In this sample, 5.8% met criteria for being aggressive drivers, 7.2% were risky drivers, and 11.6% drove while experiencing negative emotions. At 6-month follow-up, many drivers were still having health problems, 53.3% were not fully recovered, 46.7% had not returned to usual activities, and 28.9% were off work. Of the 42 participants who resumed driving, 16.7% had a near miss and 4.8% had another crash. Nine (21.4%) reported drinking and driving, and 9.5% reported driving after cannabis use. Cell phone use (16.7%) and use of other electronics while driving (23.8%) were also common.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Driver-related risk factors are common in drivers involved in minor injury crashes, and drivers persist in taking risks after being involved in a crash. Despite their name, minor injury crashes are often associated with slow recovery and prolonged absenteeism from work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Brubacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Purssell
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tuyp
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mehrnoush
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001955:British Columbia; D000071826:Distracted Driving / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification*
keywords: aggressive driving; alcohol; distraction; drug-impaired driving; motor vehicle crashes; risk factors