- Email: [email protected]
subaru traffic safety project
Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, 5th and 6th Floors, Baltimore, MD 21205-1996; 410-955-7625 REFERENCE 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Injury-control recommendations: bicycle helmets. MMWR Morbid Mortal Wkly Rep 1995;44:RR-1:14-5.
NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA)
NHTSA WARNS DRIVERS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AGAINST USE OF SPECIAL STEERING CONTROL DEVICES ON AIR BAG-EQUIPPED VEHICLES NHTSA has issued a consumer advisory for drivers with physical disabilities who use a device to assist with steering. 1 The device, a "spanner bar," is installed across the steering w h e e l , and drivers can use knobs on either end to help move the wheel. If the vehicle has a driverside air bag, the bar could be hurled toward the vehicle occupants and cause serious injury w h e n the air bag deploys. NHTSA is especially concerned a b o u t s p a n n e r bars held in place by a spring latch, adjustable screw, or other compression device. If a steering device is required in a vehicle with a drive>side air bag, NHTSA recommends one that mounts on a bracket and attaches to the steering wheel rim. NHTSA has also formed the "Working Group on Automotive Safety for Persons with Disabili-
JULY-SEPTEMBER 1995
ties." T h e g r o u p has b e e n formed to collect information on vehicles and hardware that meets the n e e d s of disabled persons and to share the information with the general public. The g r o u p w e l c o m e s as much information as possible from users of special devices and from vehicle modifiers. Anyone with knowledge or interest in this area is requested to contact Gayle Dalrymple at NHTSA at 202-366-5559. REFERENCE 1. NHTSA. Consumer advisory: NHTSA warns drivers with physical disabilities against use of special steering control devices on air bag-equipped vehicles. NHTSA News 59-95, September 15, 1994.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE (UMTRI)
MEDICAL COOPERATION AIDS AIR BAG INJURY RESEARCH UMTRI is requesting the cooperation of medical personnel to aid in a research project to investigate the injuries sustained in crashes with air bag deployment. With the cooperation of police, medical personnel, trauma unit supervisors, and hospital medical records personnel, over 350 cases nationwide have b e e n investigated. Readers are r e q u e s t e d to alert the investigation group of any air bag cases. UMTRI is especially interested in collecting data r e g a r d i n g c h i l d r e n in crashes, particularly those in adult three-point restraint systems, or in child safety seats.
All information will be kept confidential. Posters to remind p e r s o n n e l o f this r e s e a r c h project are available on request. Callers may reach UMTRI by calling 800-423-7507 to report cases or to request posters. Donald H. Huelke, PhD, Research Scientist EMERGENCY NURSES ASSOCIATION (ENA)
ENA/NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION/SUBARU TRAFFIC SAFETY PROJECT The ENA, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Subaru of America have united in a project to develop public and professional education programs for motor vehicle injury prevention. The programs are in response to goals, set by Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena, to increase national safety belt use to at least 75% by 1997 and to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths to 11,000 by the year 2005. It is estimated by the NHTSA that meeting these goals will save 3000 lives, prevent 153,000 injuries, and save $1 billion in health care costs each year ENA, NHTSA, and Subaru are working together to develop two national motor vehicle injury programs, one for nurses and one for the public. The "Peer-to-Peer Curriculum" will offer nurses general injury prevention information, the kinematics of traffic crashes, h o w
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAUMA NURSING/Trauma News Today
89
safety devices prevent injury, legislative traffic safety initiatives, and mechanisms to work with other agencies also interested in injury prevention. The s e c o n d p r o g r a m , "Campaign Safe & Sober" will target the public audience. The programs developed by ENA will be based partly on a survey of its 23,000 members. The survey includes questions concerning existing traffic safety programs ENA members are al-
ready involved with, what traffic issues are most important to the membership, potential g r o u p s , a n d s u g g e s t i o n s for h o w best to implement a successful traffic injury prevention program that gets measurable results. The programs are scheduled to pilot in the fall of 1995 and be distributed to ENA members in early 1996. It is h o p e d this partnership of health care, business, government, and the
c o m m u n i t y will help to meet Secretary Pena's goals and, most important, reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our nation's highways. A n y o n e i n t e r e s t e d in this project can contact Susan MacLean, RN, PhD, ENA's director of research, at 800-243-8362 or Laurie Flaherty, RN, MS, CEN, the grant project coordinator, at 202-364-2461. Laurie Flaherty, R~, MS
The "Trauma News Today" section of the International Journal of Trauma Nursing is seeking reports of original successful programs designed to prevent injury, or improve the clinical care of trauma patients: Reports should include purpose of intervention; methods of measuring program's effects with results; observations, recommendations, and conclusions. Reports should not exceed 5 typed, doubled-spaced pages, and may be forwarded to Marge Bjornson Sabato, Managing Editor, International Journal of Trauma Nursing, 216 Higgins Road, Park Ridge, IL 60068-5736.
90
INTERNATIONALJOURNAL OF TRAUMANURSING/TraumaNewsToday
VOLUME 1, NUMBER3
NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA)
NHTSA WARNS DRIVERS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AGAINST USE OF SPECIAL STEERING CONTROL DEVICES ON AIR BAG-EQUIPPED VEHICLES NHTSA has issued a consumer advisory for drivers with physical disabilities who use a device to assist with steering. 1 The device, a "spanner bar," is installed across the steering w h e e l , and drivers can use knobs on either end to help move the wheel. If the vehicle has a driverside air bag, the bar could be hurled toward the vehicle occupants and cause serious injury w h e n the air bag deploys. NHTSA is especially concerned a b o u t s p a n n e r bars held in place by a spring latch, adjustable screw, or other compression device. If a steering device is required in a vehicle with a drive>side air bag, NHTSA recommends one that mounts on a bracket and attaches to the steering wheel rim. NHTSA has also formed the "Working Group on Automotive Safety for Persons with Disabili-
JULY-SEPTEMBER 1995
ties." T h e g r o u p has b e e n formed to collect information on vehicles and hardware that meets the n e e d s of disabled persons and to share the information with the general public. The g r o u p w e l c o m e s as much information as possible from users of special devices and from vehicle modifiers. Anyone with knowledge or interest in this area is requested to contact Gayle Dalrymple at NHTSA at 202-366-5559. REFERENCE 1. NHTSA. Consumer advisory: NHTSA warns drivers with physical disabilities against use of special steering control devices on air bag-equipped vehicles. NHTSA News 59-95, September 15, 1994.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE (UMTRI)
MEDICAL COOPERATION AIDS AIR BAG INJURY RESEARCH UMTRI is requesting the cooperation of medical personnel to aid in a research project to investigate the injuries sustained in crashes with air bag deployment. With the cooperation of police, medical personnel, trauma unit supervisors, and hospital medical records personnel, over 350 cases nationwide have b e e n investigated. Readers are r e q u e s t e d to alert the investigation group of any air bag cases. UMTRI is especially interested in collecting data r e g a r d i n g c h i l d r e n in crashes, particularly those in adult three-point restraint systems, or in child safety seats.
All information will be kept confidential. Posters to remind p e r s o n n e l o f this r e s e a r c h project are available on request. Callers may reach UMTRI by calling 800-423-7507 to report cases or to request posters. Donald H. Huelke, PhD, Research Scientist EMERGENCY NURSES ASSOCIATION (ENA)
ENA/NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION/SUBARU TRAFFIC SAFETY PROJECT The ENA, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Subaru of America have united in a project to develop public and professional education programs for motor vehicle injury prevention. The programs are in response to goals, set by Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena, to increase national safety belt use to at least 75% by 1997 and to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths to 11,000 by the year 2005. It is estimated by the NHTSA that meeting these goals will save 3000 lives, prevent 153,000 injuries, and save $1 billion in health care costs each year ENA, NHTSA, and Subaru are working together to develop two national motor vehicle injury programs, one for nurses and one for the public. The "Peer-to-Peer Curriculum" will offer nurses general injury prevention information, the kinematics of traffic crashes, h o w
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAUMA NURSING/Trauma News Today
89
safety devices prevent injury, legislative traffic safety initiatives, and mechanisms to work with other agencies also interested in injury prevention. The s e c o n d p r o g r a m , "Campaign Safe & Sober" will target the public audience. The programs developed by ENA will be based partly on a survey of its 23,000 members. The survey includes questions concerning existing traffic safety programs ENA members are al-
ready involved with, what traffic issues are most important to the membership, potential g r o u p s , a n d s u g g e s t i o n s for h o w best to implement a successful traffic injury prevention program that gets measurable results. The programs are scheduled to pilot in the fall of 1995 and be distributed to ENA members in early 1996. It is h o p e d this partnership of health care, business, government, and the
c o m m u n i t y will help to meet Secretary Pena's goals and, most important, reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our nation's highways. A n y o n e i n t e r e s t e d in this project can contact Susan MacLean, RN, PhD, ENA's director of research, at 800-243-8362 or Laurie Flaherty, RN, MS, CEN, the grant project coordinator, at 202-364-2461. Laurie Flaherty, R~, MS
The "Trauma News Today" section of the International Journal of Trauma Nursing is seeking reports of original successful programs designed to prevent injury, or improve the clinical care of trauma patients: Reports should include purpose of intervention; methods of measuring program's effects with results; observations, recommendations, and conclusions. Reports should not exceed 5 typed, doubled-spaced pages, and may be forwarded to Marge Bjornson Sabato, Managing Editor, International Journal of Trauma Nursing, 216 Higgins Road, Park Ridge, IL 60068-5736.
90
INTERNATIONALJOURNAL OF TRAUMANURSING/TraumaNewsToday
VOLUME 1, NUMBER3