Speeding and Maxillofacial Injuries: Impact of the Introduction of Penalty Points for Speeding Offences

On 31 October 2002 the Irish Government introduced a point demerit scheme for road speeding offences. To evaluate the impact of the scheme, we made a comparative assessment of the number of maxillofacial operations necessitated by road crashes at two tertiary surgical centers in the year before and the year after the introduction of penalty points. There were no significant differences in the composition of the groups between the two study periods. There were 57 operations in the year before and 22 in the year after for injuries caused by collisions (a 61% reduction). No changes were seen in the distribution or severity of maxillofacial injuries or in the pattern or severity of other injuries. Severity was assessed using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Maximum Abbreviated Injury Severity Scale (MAIS), and bodily injuries by the Injury Severity Scale (ISS). The number of patients requiring intensive care and the duration of admission to the unit were unchanged, as was the total duration of hospital admission. There were no differences in the requirement for other specialist management.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/02664356
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Hussain, O T
  • Nayyar, MS
  • Bradya, F A
  • Beirnea, JC
  • Stassen, L F
• Publication Date: 2006-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 15-19
• Serial:
  • British Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Volume: 44
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0266-4356

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash injuries; Driver licenses; Point demerit systems; Speed; Traffic crashes
• Identifier Terms: Abbreviated Injury Scale; Injury Severity Scale; Maximum Abbreviated Injury Severity Scale
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver license suspension; Hospital admission; Maxillofacial injuries
• Geographic Terms: Ireland
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01045330
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 24 2007 11:03AM