The Department of Transportation Should Take a Leading Role in Traumatic Brain Injury Research and Prevention Initiatives

This article contends that the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) should take a leading role in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research and prevention initiatives. The author first outlines the costs to society of TBI and the history behind TBI research funding. The author maintains that DOT needs a new focus on auto safety beyond that of avoidance approaches (traditional restrain systems, prevention of alcohol-impaired driving, and behavioral approaches) to address TBI prevention and TBI mitigation. The author calls for research in the following areas: the biomechanics of transportation-related TBI; data on the incidence and prevalence of mild TBI, and true injury and disability statistics, including societal costs; improved early recognition systems, new interventions to prevent initial injury, and use of electronic prehospital care data to assist emergency medical system providers; and a focus on the prevention and mitigation of TBI in existing and proposed future intelligent transportation systems. The author concludes that DOT is presently poised to follow through on the work it began and establish collaborative working relationships among industry, other agencies, and stakeholders as it started over a decade ago with Head Injury ’94.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08859701
• Authors:
  • Berube, Jean E
• Publication Date: 2005-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 279-281
• Serial:
  • Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • ISSN: 0885-9701
  • EISSN: 1550-509X
  • Serial URL: http://journals.lww.com/headtraumarehab/pages/default.aspx

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biophysics; Brain; Costs; Crash injuries; Crash injury research; Emergency medical services; Financing; Government funding; Intelligent transportation systems; Research
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Department of Transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Brain injuries
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01003923
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 7 2005 6:46AM