Using multiple datasets to understand trends in serious road traffic casualties.

Accurate information on the incidence of serious road traffic casualties is needed to plan and evaluate prevention strategies. Traditionally police reported collisions are the only data used. This study investigate the extent to which understanding of trends in serious road traffic injuries is aided by the use of multiple datasets. Health and police datasets covering all or part of Great Britain from 1996-2003 were analysed. There was a significantly decreasing trend in police reported serious casualties but not in the other datasets. Multiple data sources provide a more complete picture of road traffic casualty trends than any single dataset. Increasing availability of electronic health data with developments in anonymised data linkage should provide a better platform for monitoring trends in serious road traffic casualties.

[1]  S. Baker,et al.  The injury severity score: an update. , 1976, The Journal of trauma.

[2]  R. Lyons,et al.  Methodological issues in comparing injury incidence across countries , 2006, International journal of injury control and safety promotion.

[3]  Andrew Jones,et al.  Geographical distribution of road traffic deaths in England and Wales: place of accident compared with place of residence. , 2005, Journal of public health.

[4]  J. Langley,et al.  Effects of service delivery versus changes in incidence on trends in injury: a demonstration using hospitalised traumatic brain injury. , 2005, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[5]  H. Ward,et al.  Reporting of road traffic accidents in London: matching police STATS19 with hospital accident and emergency department data , 2002 .

[6]  Ronan A Lyons,et al.  Purpose, development and use of injury indicators , 2005, International journal of injury control and safety promotion.

[7]  K. P. Austin.  A LINKED POLICE AND HOSPITAL ROAD ACCIDENT DATABASE FOR HUMBERSIDE , 1992 .

[8]  Alan D. Lopez,et al.  Global health statistics: a compendium of incidence prevalence and mortality estimates for over 200 conditions. , 1996 .

[9]  H. James,et al.  UNDER-REPORTING OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS , 1991 .

[10]  J. P. Bull,et al.  Road accident statistics—A comparison of police and hospital information , 1973 .

[11]  J. A. Hobbs,et al.  CLASSIFICATION OF INJURY SEVERITY BY LENGTH OF STAY IN HOSPITAL , 1979 .

[12]  R A Saunders,et al.  REPORTED ACCIDENTS AND THE GP , 1987 .

[13]  J. B. Pedder,et al.  A STUDY OF TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE CASUALTIES TREATED AT A CITY HOSPITAL , 1981 .

[14]  Colin Cryer,et al.  Injury outcome indicators – validation matters , 2005, International journal of injury control and safety promotion.

[15]  H. Patel,et al.  Trends in head injury outcome from 1989 to 2003 and the effect of neurosurgical care: an observational study , 2005, The Lancet.

[16]  Michael J Goldacre,et al.  Changes in safety on England's roads: analysis of hospital statistics , 2006, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[17]  R J Tunbridge,et al.  AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF ROAD ACCIDENT CASUALTIES AND THEIR INJURY PATTERNS , 1988 .

[18]  H F Simpson.  COMPARISON OF HOSPITAL AND POLICE CASUALTY DATA: A NATIONAL STUDY , 1996 .

[19]  E. Krug,et al.  The global burden of injuries. , 2000, American journal of public health.

[20]  R A Johnstone,et al.  AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF ROAD ACCIDENT CASUALTIES AND THEIR ACCIDENT PATTERNS , 1988 .

[21]  P J Mills,et al.  PEDAL CYCLE ACCIDENTS - A HOSPITAL BASED STUDY , 1989 .