TY - JOUR
T1 - Motorcycle fatalities in New Mexico
T2 - The association of helmet nonuse with alcohol intoxication
AU - Nelson, Donna
AU - Sklar, David
AU - Skipper, Betty
AU - McFeeley, Patricia J.
PY - 1992/3
Y1 - 1992/3
N2 - Study objective: To determine the relationship among helmet use, alcohol use, and ethnicity in people killed on motorcycles. Design: Retrospective review of all motorcycle fatalities in New Mexico from 1984 through 1988. Setting: Office of the Medical Investigator, State of New Mexico. Type of participants: All decedents of motorcycle crashes in New Mexico from 1984 through 1988. Interventions: Review of all autopsies, medical investigator reports, traffic fatality reports, and toxicological studies on fatally injured motorcyclists. Results: Nine of the helmeted drivers (18%) were legally intoxicated compared with 67 of the nonhelmeted drivers (51%) (χ2 = 15.7, P < .0001); 42 of the white nonHispanic decedents (37%), ten of Hispanic decedents (12%), and none of the Native-American decedents were wearing helmets. The head and neck region was the most severely injured body region in 42 of the nonhelmeted cases (84%) and in eight of the helmeted cases (50%) (Fisher's exact test, P < .02). Conclusion: There is an association between nonuse of helmets and alcohol intoxication in fatally injured motorcyclists in New Mexico. Strategies for preventing motorcycle fatalities should address alcohol abuse and ethnicity in conjunction with helmet use.
AB - Study objective: To determine the relationship among helmet use, alcohol use, and ethnicity in people killed on motorcycles. Design: Retrospective review of all motorcycle fatalities in New Mexico from 1984 through 1988. Setting: Office of the Medical Investigator, State of New Mexico. Type of participants: All decedents of motorcycle crashes in New Mexico from 1984 through 1988. Interventions: Review of all autopsies, medical investigator reports, traffic fatality reports, and toxicological studies on fatally injured motorcyclists. Results: Nine of the helmeted drivers (18%) were legally intoxicated compared with 67 of the nonhelmeted drivers (51%) (χ2 = 15.7, P < .0001); 42 of the white nonHispanic decedents (37%), ten of Hispanic decedents (12%), and none of the Native-American decedents were wearing helmets. The head and neck region was the most severely injured body region in 42 of the nonhelmeted cases (84%) and in eight of the helmeted cases (50%) (Fisher's exact test, P < .02). Conclusion: There is an association between nonuse of helmets and alcohol intoxication in fatally injured motorcyclists in New Mexico. Strategies for preventing motorcycle fatalities should address alcohol abuse and ethnicity in conjunction with helmet use.
KW - helmet use
KW - motorcycle fatalities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026538180&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026538180&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)80888-1
DO - 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)80888-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 1536488
AN - SCOPUS:0026538180
SN - 0196-0644
VL - 21
SP - 279
EP - 283
JO - Annals of Emergency Medicine
JF - Annals of Emergency Medicine
IS - 3
ER -