Accidents/Alcohol Abuse

By Edward S. Pratt, M.D., M.B.A.

Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death in young adults. According to the CDC more than one in three accidents are associated with alcohol consumption. In addition, the use of seatbelts has been shown to dramatically diminish the rate of injury and death associated with motor vehicle accidents. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has documented a 45% drop in MVA fatalities in autos, and 60% drop in MVA fatalities in light trucks. Despite this only approximately 75% of front seat occupants typically wear seatbelts in states where it is not mandated by law. In 2002 over 42,000 people were killed on the nation’s highways and 3 million suffered serious injuries making this the most common cause of death in the 2 – 33 year age group. By far and away the most common demographic to leave their seatbelt unbuckled is the young adult male. In 2002, 6,000 young men died on the nation’s highways that would have survived had they been wearing seatbelts. As of 2004, there are still only 21 states and the District of Columbia that have mandatory seatbelt laws, making seatbelts still largely a matter of choice. Tennessee has a seatbelt law, making it unlawful to drive and not buckle up.

Prior to the current lap belt/shoulder belt combination, head on and rollover accidents caused a severe forward bend across the lap belt, rupturing the abdominal organs, and ripping the mid/low back apart. The use of shoulder belts decreased this injury, but did not improve the incidence of neck injuries. In 2002, there were 50,000 major spinal injuries, and the data suggests that many of these were also not wearing seatbelts. 38% of those patients that survived a traumatic injury in the mid/low back suffered permanent neurologic injury, while 40% of those surviving a neck injury suffered permanent spinal cord injury. For those that have never met such a victim, the longevity and quality of life of an otherwise healthy individual is profoundly impacted. This fact was brought home for many of us through the heroic story of Christopher Reeves. For those young readers that remain in denial that seatbelts are too much trouble, or don’t matter, I would refer them to the Christopher Reeves website and foundation for spinal cord injuries. The bottom line? Wear them…if not for you, then for all those you care about that will suffer from your poor choices, gradual painful decline and inevitable, demise.