MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION AND MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT MORTALITY

THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO DISCOVER IF STATES WITH COMPULSORY MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION EXHIBIT LOWER MOTOR VEHICLE MORTALITY RATES. THE YEAR 1960 WAS CHOSEN FOR THE STUDY BECAUSE OF THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THE CENSUS. IN THAT YEAR, 17 STATES, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, HAD COMPULSORY MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION. RESULTS INCLUDED DIFFERENCES IN AGE, SEX, RACE AND INCOME. MORTALITY RATES ARE ABOUT 50% HIGHER FOR EACH SEX-RACE CATEGORY IN NON-INSPECTION STATES. IN EACH AGE GROUP (15-64 BEING THE UPPER AND LOWER AGES USED) THE MOTOR VEHICLE DEATH RATES ARE AGAIN HIGHER FOR NON-INSPECTION STATES. IN A TEN YEAR PERIOD (1950-1960 THOSE STATES WITH CONTINUING INSPECTION SHOWED A DECREASE IN MORTALITY (-8.6 PER 100,000), THOSE BEGINNING INSPECTION A SMALLER DECREASE (-0.7 PER 100,000), WHILE THOSE NOT INSPECTING SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE (+0.4 PER 100,000). EVEN AFTER CONTROLLING FOR DIFFERENCES IN POPULATION DENSITY, PER CAPITA INCOME, AND OTHER ACCIDENT MORTALITY RATES, THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE INSPECTION AND NONINSPECTION STATES IS SIGNIFICANT. ALTHOUGH THE RESULTS ARE SIGNIFICANT, THE DATA IS NOT SUFFICIENT AT THIS TIME TO STATE THAT A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM OF MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION WOULD LOWER THE MORTALITY RATE. THIS IS ONLY ONE OF MANY VARIABLES THAT MAY BE INVOLVED IN THE REDUCTION OF OUR MOTOR VEHICLE DEATH RATE.

  • Availability:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Vol 58, No 6, PP 1090-1099, 2 FIG, 5 TAB, 8 REF
  • Corporate Authors:

    American Public Health Association

    1740 Broadway
    New York, NY  United States  10019
  • Authors:
    • Colton, T
    • Buxbaum, R C
  • Publication Date: 1968-6

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Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00220667
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Feb 24 1970 12:00AM