A community traffic safety analysis of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries based on the catchment area of a trauma center

The focus of this article is the mapping of crash locations and the identification of hot spots for pedestrian and bicyclist collisions with motor vehicles in New York City’s high-density hub. The authors also sought to quantify differences in injury severity in relation to road type and user behaviors. Using prospective data from December 2008 to June 2011, they assessed pedestrians and bicyclists involved in crashes with motor vehicles and hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center in New York City. 1,457 patients (1,075 pedestrians and 382 bicyclists) were included in the final investigation, and variables included behaviors by cohort (i.e., crossing patterns for pedestrians, riding patterns for bicyclists), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and collision locations. Hot spots (areas where higher volumes of crashes occurred over time) were identified using geomaps. Among the results, pedestrians who were injured crossing avenues were found to have higher ISSs and were more likely to die than those crossing the street. Higher ISSs were also seen among pedestrians crossing midblock versus those using crosswalk signals. Midtown Manhattan was the site of pedestrian collision hotspots, while bridge and tunnel portals were found to be hotspots for bicyclists. Spatial analysis confirmed that these findings were not associated with random events. The authors conclude that more serious injuries are suffered by pedestrians on traveling on avenues versus narrow streets. They suggest that injury prevention strategies could be better targeted with improved understanding of collision locations and features, and they advocate for the critical role of trauma centers in providing public health surveillance for communities.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000000176
• Record URL:
  http://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/Fulltext/2014/04000/A_community_traffic_safety_analysis_of_pedestrian.29.aspx
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/21630755
• Authors:
  • Slaughter, Dekeya R
  • Williams, Nick
  • Wall, Stephen P
  • Glass, Nina E
  • Simon, Ronald
  • Todd, S Rob
  • Bholat, Omar S
  • Jacko, Sally
  • Roe, Matthew
  • Wilson, Chad T
  • Levine, Deborah A
  • Marshall, Gary
  • Ayoung-Chee, Patricia
  • Pachter, H Leon
  • Frangos, Spiros G
• Publication Date: 2014-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 1103-1110
• Serial:
  • Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
  • Volume: 76
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • ISSN: 2163-0755
  • EISSN: 2163-0763
  • Serial URL: http://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycle crashes; Crash injuries; Cyclists; High risk locations; Injury severity; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Pedestrians; Traffic safety
• Identifier Terms: Injury Severity Score
• Uncontrolled Terms: Trauma centers
• Geographic Terms: New York (New York)
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01526138
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 28 2014 3:24PM