In recognition of World Health Day 2004, AAA Ambulance Service offers these facts about motor vehicle injuries.
More information is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web-site: www.cdc.gov.
The Numbers
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for persons 1 to 34 years of age in the
United States. They are the leading cause of injury death for all ages, accounting for nearly 44,000 deaths in 2001.
In 2002, alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes accounted for 41% of all traffic-related deaths.
Two out of five deaths among U.S. teens result from motor vehicle crashes. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.
Children are particularly vulnerable to motor vehicle crashes. Of the 459 children ages 4 years and younger who were fatally injured in 2002, 40% were completely unrestrained.
The Cost
In 2000, medical costs due to injury exceeded $21 billion for motor vehicle-related injuries. This accounted for almost 20% of all medical costs attributable to injury.
In addition to direct medical costs, injuries contribute to higher insurance premiums, more time away from work for caregivers (productivity loss at work), and other financial costs to individuals, their families, their communities, and society as a whole.
In its publication The Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration reported that the total cost of alcohol-related crashes exceeded $50 billion in 2000. In 2002, the estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes (fatal and nonfatal) involving drivers ages 15 to 20 was $40.8 billion.
About AAA Ambulance Service: AAA Ambulance Service, founded in 1965, created one of the first licensed emergency medical services providers in Mississippi. The community, tax-supported nonprofit organization’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce trauma-related personal anguish and health care costs. For more information, visit http://www.aaaambulance.net.
Contact: Christy M. Joy
PO Box 17889
Hattiesburg, MS 39404
207 South. 28th Ave.
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
(601) 264-0175 SND.Email
