The University of Adelaide CENTRE FOR AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY RESEARCH

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TitleThe characteristics of crashes involving medical conditions in South Australia
AuthorsRaftery SJ, Baldock MRJ
Year2023
TypeUnknown
AbstractWith the population of Australians aged 85 or older expected to double by 2042 and the association of increased age with the greater likelihood of experiencing a medical condition, the potential increase in crashes caused by medical conditions is of concern. This study aims to understand the prevalence of medical conditions and the characteristics of the crashes involving medical conditions in order to guide development of strategies to mitigate the associated risks and harms. The sample consisted of 1,934 road users injured in crashes on South Australian roads who were admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital over the period 2014 to 2017. The findings indicate that 9.2% of hospital admission cases are caused by a medical condition, with loss of consciousness, attempted suicide, and seizures the most commonly observed. Crashes attributed to a medical condition were more likely to involve older drivers, and were also more likely to involve road users with at least one pre-existing medical condition and a greater number of pre-existing medical conditions than the comparison group.
Conference Name2023 Australasian Road Safety Conference
Conference AbbreviationARSC23
Conference LocationCairns, Australia
Conference Date19-21 September
NotesSimon presented this in session 23 Wednesday Sep 20th

Reference
Raftery SJ, Baldock MRJ (2023). The characteristics of crashes involving medical conditions in South Australia. 2023 Australasian Road Safety Conference, Cairns, Australia, 19-21 September. [PRESENTED ABSTRACT]