MOPEDS: Motorized Objects Propelling Ethanol Drinking Subjects

Cars and motorcycles are subject to certain laws and jurisdiction, including the requirement of a driver's license, to which mopeds are not. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of alcohol (ETOH) on moped crashes. Adult moped injuries were retrospectively reviewed compared with motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and motorcycle crashes (MCCs) from 1995 through 2006. Severity of injury, mortality, serum ETOH levels and demographics were recorded. The Student t test for continuous data and the X² test for proportional data were used to analyze data. 7186 of admissions were accounted for by motor vehicle crashes, and MCC and moped crashes numbered 973 and 113, respectively. Moped crashes yielded the highest mortality (9.7%) compared with MCCs (8.5%) and MVCs (6.7%), although not statistically significant (P = 0.064). However, an increased association of blood ETOH levels with moped crashes was statistically significant (P = 0.004). Observations were made of serum ETOH levels above 0.05 g/dL in 1681 MVCs (23.4%), 241 MCCs (24.8%), and 44 moped crashes (39%). The results of this study show that moped crashes represent a previously unrecognized public safety risk due to their demonstration of a significantly higher ETOH involvement than either MVCs or MCCs.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00031348
• Authors:
  • Christmas, A Britton
  • Brintzenhoff, Rita A
  • Schmelzer, Thomas M
  • Head, Karen E
  • Sing, Ronald F
• Publication Date: 2011-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 304-306
• Serial:
  • American Surgeon
  • Volume: 77
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Southeastern Surgical Congress
  • ISSN: 0003-1348
  • EISSN: 1555-9823
  • Serial URL: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sesc/tas

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Driver licenses; Drunk driving; Fatalities; Injury severity; Moped crashes; Moped drivers; Regulation; Safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I90: Vehicles;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01351859
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 14 2011 11:13AM