Seat Belt Use Among Patients in Motor Vehicle Collisions: Clinical and Demographic Factors

<p> <dl id="x-x-citationFields"> <dd> Objective Proper <strong> use </strong> of automobile <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belt </strong> in a <strong> motor </strong> <strong> vehicle </strong> crash is associated with reduced morbidity and mortality, shorter hospital stays, reduced resource utilization, and fewer missed work days. Seatbelt compliance nationwide is 86%. This study was undertaken to identify <strong> factors </strong> associated with noncompliance with seatbelt <strong> use </strong> <strong> among </strong> admitted <strong> patients </strong> following a <strong> motor </strong> <strong> vehicle </strong> crash. </dd> <dt> </dt> <dd> Results <strong> Among </strong> 766 participants, the overall rate of seatbelt noncompliance was 32% (N = 245). Some participants met the legal limit of intoxication (80 mg/dl) (N = 119 <strong> patients </strong> ; 22%). Drug <strong> use </strong> was high <strong> among </strong> this population, including THC (30%), opiates (29%), benzodiazepines (24%), cocaine (10%), and methamphetamine (10%). <strong> Patients </strong> who did not wear <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belts </strong> were more likely to be male (62.4% no <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belt </strong> vs. 51.8% <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belt </strong> ), intoxicated (30.5% vs. 17.0%), screen positive for cocaine (18.2% vs. 4.7%), THC (37.7% vs. 24.2%), and methamphetamine (15.6% vs. 5.9%). We did not detect significant differences by <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belt </strong> <strong> use </strong> with respect to ethnicity, mode of arrival, day of week, opiate <strong> use </strong> , or benzodiazepine <strong> use </strong> . </dd> <dt> </dt> <dd> Conclusions In this study, 32% of <strong> patients </strong> in <strong> motor </strong> <strong> vehicle </strong> crashes were not compliant with <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belt </strong> <strong> use </strong> . Noncompliance with <strong> seat </strong> <strong> belt </strong> <strong> use </strong> was higher <strong> among </strong> <strong> patients </strong> who were male, younger age, intoxicated, or who had positive screens for cocaine, THC, or methamphetamine. </dd> </dl></p>