Implications of using administrative healthcare data to identify risk of motor vehicle crash-related injury: the importance of distinguishing crash from crash-related injury.

BACKGROUND: Administrative healthcare databases, such as Medicare, are increasingly used to identify groups at risk of a crash. However, they only contain information on crash-related injuries, not all crashes. If the driver characteristics associated with crash and crash-related injury differ, conflating the two may result in ineffective or imprecise policy interventions. METHODS: We linked 10 years (2008-2017) of Medicare claims to New Jersey police crash reports to compare the demographics, clinical diagnoses, and prescription drug dispensings for crash-involved drivers ≥ 68 years with a police-reported crash to those with a claim for a crash-related injury. We calculated standardized mean differences to compare characteristics between groups. RESULTS: Crash-involved drivers with a Medicare claim for an injury were more likely than those with a police-reported crash to be female (62.4% vs. 51.8%, standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.30), had more clinical diagnoses including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (13.0% vs. 9.2%, SMD = 0.20) and rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis (69.5% vs 61.4%, SMD = 0.20), and a higher rate of dispensing for opioids (33.8% vs 27.6%, SMD = 0.18) and antiepileptics (12.9% vs 9.6%, SMD = 0.14) prior to the crash. Despite documented inconsistencies in coding practices, findings were robust when restricted to claims indicating the injured party was the driver or was left unspecified. CONCLUSIONS: To identify effective mechanisms for reducing morbidity and mortality from crashes, researchers should consider augmenting administrative datasets with information from police crash reports, and vice versa. When those data are not available, we caution researchers and policymakers against the tendency to conflate crash and crash-related injury when interpreting their findings.

Non-benzodiazepine Hypnotics and Police-Reported Motor Vehicle Crash Risk among Older Adults: A Sequential Target Trial Emulation.

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics ( "Z-drugs") are prescribed for insomnia, but might increase risk of motor vehicle crash (MVC) among older adults through prolonged drowsiness and delayed reaction times. We estimated the effect of initiating Z-drug treatment on the 12-week risk of MVC in a sequential target trial emulation. After linking New Jersey driver licensing and police-reported MVC data to Medicare claims, we emulated a new target trial each week (July 1, 2007 - October 7, 2017) in which Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries were classified as Z-drug-treated or untreated at baseline and followed for an MVC. We used inverse probability of treatment and censoring weighted pooled logistic regression models to estimate risk ratios (RR) and risk differences with 95% bootstrap confidence limits (CLs). There were 257,554 person-trials, of which 103,371 were Z-drug-treated and 154,183 untreated, giving rise to 976 and 1,249 MVCs, respectively. The intention-to-treat RR was 1.06 (95%CLs 0.95, 1.16). For the per-protocol estimand, there were 800 MVCs and 1,241 MVCs among treated and untreated person-trials, respectively, suggesting a reduced MVC risk (RR 0.83 [95%CLs 0.74, 0.92]) with sustained Z-drug treatment. Z-drugs should be prescribed to older patients judiciously but not withheld entirely over concerns about MVC risk.

Congruency of Crash- and Hospital- Reported Injuries Among Child Passengers.

INTRODUCTION: Prior work has found incongruencies in injury information reported by crash and hospital records. However, no work has focused on child passengers. The objective of this study was to compare crash scene and hospital-reported injury information for crash-involved child passengers. This study also explored injury location and severity by child age and restraint type. METHODS: Utilizing linked New Jersey data from 2017 through 2019, the authors identified crash-involved child passengers <13 years old and their injuries in crash and hospital reports. Then, they characterized the congruency of injury frequency, severity, and location, as well as the frequency of injuries by child age and restraint type. Analyses were conducted from December 2023 through February 2024. RESULTS: Of 84,060 crash-involved child passengers, crash reports documented 7,858 (9%) children with at least "possible" injuries, while 2,577 (3%) had at least one injury in hospital events. Crash report and hospital data were incongruent for both body region of injury and injury severity. The proportion of children injured increased as children's ages increased and as restraint type progressed. CONCLUSIONS: Crash reports overestimated the number of injured child passengers and misrepresented injury severity and locations. Child restraint systems mitigated a child's injury risk. Importantly, injury information documented on crash reports currently informs the allocation of traffic safety resources. These results highlight the importance of improving these reports' accuracy and underscore calls to link administrative datasets for public health efforts.

Driver's Licensure and Driving Outcomes Among Youths With Mood Disorders.

Importance: Mood disorders are prevalent among adolescents and young adults, and their onset often coincides with driving eligibility. The understanding of how mood disorders are associated with youth driving outcomes is limited. Objective: To examine the association between the presence of a mood disorder and rates of licensing, crashes, violations, and suspensions among adolescents and young adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study was conducted among New Jersey residents who were born 1987 to 2000, age eligible to acquire a driver's license from 2004 to 2017, and patients of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia network within 2 years of licensure eligibility at age 17 years. The presence of a current (ie, ≤2 years of driving eligibility) mood disorder was identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) or International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes. Rates of licensure and driving outcomes among youths who were licensed were compared among 1879 youths with and 84 294 youths without a current mood disorder from 2004 to 2017. Data were analyzed from June 2022 to July 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Acquisition of a driver's license and first involvement as a driver in a police-reported crash and rates of other adverse driving outcomes were assessed. Survival analysis was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for licensing and driving outcomes. Adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) were estimated for driving outcomes 12 and 48 months after licensure. Results: Among 86 173 youths (median [IQR] age at the end of the study, 22.8 [19.7-26.5] years; 42 894 female [49.8%]), there were 1879 youths with and 84 294 youths without a mood disorder. A greater proportion of youths with mood disorders were female (1226 female [65.2%]) compared with those without mood disorders (41 668 female [49.4%]). At 48 months after licensure eligibility, 75.5% (95% CI, 73.3%-77.7%) and 83.8% (95% CI, 83.5%-84.1%) of youths with and without mood disorders, respectively, had acquired a license. Youths with mood disorders were 30% less likely to acquire a license than those without a mood disorder (aHR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.66-0.74]). Licensed youths with mood disorders had higher overall crash rates than those without mood disorders over the first 48 months of driving (137.8 vs 104.8 crashes per 10 000 driver-months; aRR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.08-1.31]); licensed youths with mood disorders also had higher rates of moving violations (aRR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.13-1.38]) and license suspensions (aRR, 1.95 [95% CI, 1.53-2.49]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that youths with mood disorders were less likely to be licensed and had higher rates of adverse driving outcomes than youths without mood disorders. These findings suggest that opportunities may exist to enhance driving mobility in this population and elucidate the mechanisms by which mood disorders are associated with crash risk.

Preparing to "Live a Life of Possibilities": Experiences of Healthcare Providers Readying Autistic Adolescents and Their Families for Independent Driving.

Autistic adolescents and their families may experience barriers to transportation, including independent driving, which is critical to supporting quality of life and engagement in social, educational, and employment opportunities. Healthcare providers may feel unprepared to provide guidance to autistic adolescents, although they are among the professionals families turn to for guidance. This study describes providers' experiences supporting autistic adolescents and families in the decision to pursue licensure and identifies barriers experienced in providing support. We conducted interviews with 15 healthcare providers focused on how they support autistic adolescents and their families in navigating topics related to independence, driving, and transportation. Key themes identified included: importance of understanding adolescents' perspectives and motivations, approaches to readying caregivers for children to pursue driving, and role of providers in fostering agreement between adolescents and caregivers. Results reflect healthcare providers as intermediaries between autistic adolescents and caregivers making the decision to pursue licensure and bring families to consensus. Our findings emphasize the importance of healthcare providers, in collaboration with community-based providers, in supporting autistic adolescents and their families considering licensure. Improving conversations between providers and families provides opportunity to better support quality of life among autistic adolescents and their caregivers navigating the transition to independence.

Caregivers' Perspectives on Use of and Need for Driving Resources for Their Autistic Adolescent.

Introduction: Autistic individuals who independently travel-or commute without companionship or supervision-report feeling more connected to social, education, and employment opportunities. Despite the potential for independent transportation to improve quality of life, little is known about what transportation-related resources, specifically driving focused ones, exist for autistic individuals or how they and their families find and use them. The objectives of this study were to characterize: (1) where and how families in the United States find driving-related resources for their autistic adolescents; (2) families' perceived availability and utility of identified resources; and (3) resources families believe should be developed. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 33 caregivers of autistic adolescents aged 16-24 years without an intellectual disability. We used a directed-content approach to develop and implement codes; three trained coders analyzed all transcripts (inter-rater reliability ≥0.8 for all codes). Members of the research team reviewed coded data and created code summaries, which were then developed and discussed by the larger research team to determine final consensus. Results: Caregivers described a few existing resources that were helpful in guiding driving-related decisions. In addition, caregivers voiced that there were limited resources tailored to the unique needs that arise while teaching or learning how to drive, particularly ones that support their own and their adolescent's mental health. The limited resources and services identified as helpful-specifically support groups/perspectives of other families and specialized driving instructors-are seemingly difficult to find, costly, and/or perceived as having geographic- and time-related barriers. Conclusion: There is a critical need and opportunity for stakeholders of the autism community to both expand access to existing and develop novel driving-related resources for families with autistic adolescents, with a particular focus of supporting caregiver and adolescent mental health.

Why is this an important issue?: Many autistic teens and young adults rely on caregivers, siblings, family, and friends to give them rides to the places they need to go. Research has found that resources and services created specifically for autistic people can help them decide whether driving is right for them, and if so, then learn how to drive. However, little is known about if, and if so how, families find or use these resources and services. What was the purpose of this study?: This study had three goals: (1) learn what driving resources and services autistic teens and young adults (and their families) use, (2) learn how they find these resources and services, and (3) learn what other things they think would help them make decisions about driving and learn how to drive. What did the researchers do?: The researchers asked 33 caregivers of autistic teens and young adults without an intellectual disability (ID) (teens and young adults were 16­24 years old) questions about their experiences finding and using driving resources and services. These conversations were recorded and later typed out word for word. What were the results of the study?: Caregivers said that they spend a lot of time looking for driving resources and services for their autistic teen or young adult. Many resources and services were not easy to use or helpful. Caregivers said that behind-the-wheel driving instructors with specific training teaching autistic individuals were the most helpful and/or wanted resource. However, caregivers also said that these instructors and their services were hard to find, cost a lot of money, and require families to spend a lot of time training with them to get results. In the future, caregivers said that making it easier to find and get driving resources and services (e.g., making them less expensive) was necessary. Caregivers also had strong interest in their family participating in support groups related to driving. What do these findings add to what was already known?: Previous research has shown that training, resources, and services designed specifically for autistic people help prepare autistic teens and young adults to drive. Before our study, it was unclear if, and if so how, families actually use these resources and services in the real world, or outside of academic research. Families in our study said that it is hard to find or get access to driving resources and services, especially those created specifically for autistic populations. This difficulty is one reason why families think it is stressful and hard for autistic teens and young adults to learn how to drive. What are the potential weaknesses in the study?: We only asked caregivers who lived in the Northeast part of the United States questions, so our findings may not be true for all families. Also, this study only asked questions to caregivers of autistic teens and young adults who did not have an ID. How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: Our findings can help autistic teens and young adults by showing what resources and services families use and want to use while they are learning how to drive or making decisions about if driving is right for them.

Changes in the burden of medications that may impair driving among older adults before and after a motor vehicle crash.

BACKGROUND: Medications are one of the most easily modifiable risk factors for motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) among older adults, yet limited information exists on how the use of potentially driver-impairing (PDI) medications changes following an MVC. Therefore, we examined the number and types of PDI medication classes dispensed before and after an MVC. METHODS: This observational study included Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥67 years who were involved in a police-reported MVC in New Jersey as a driver between 2008 and 2017. Analyses were conducted at the "person-crash" level because participants could be involved in more than one MVC. We examined the use of 36 PDI medication classes in the 120 days before and 120 days after MVC. We described the number and prevalence of PDI medication classes in the pre-MVC and post-MVC periods as well as the most common PDI medication classes started and stopped following the MVC. RESULTS: Among 124,954 person-crashes, the mean (SD) age was 76.0 (6.5) years, 51.3% were female, and 83.9% were non-Hispanic White. The median (Q1 , Q3 ) number of PDI medication classes was 2 (1, 4) in both the pre-MVC and post-MVC periods. Overall, 20.3% had a net increase, 15.9% had a net decrease, and 63.8% had no net change in the number of PDI medication classes after MVC. Opioids, antihistamines, and thiazide diuretics were the top PDI medication classes stopped following MVC, at incidences of 6.2%, 2.1%, and 1.7%, respectively. The top medication classes started were opioids (8.3%), skeletal muscle relaxants (2.2%), and benzodiazepines (2.1%). CONCLUSIONS: A majority of crash-involved older adults were exposed to multiple PDI medications before and after MVC. A greater proportion of person-crashes were associated with an increased rather than decreased number of PDI medications. The reasons why clinicians refrain from stopping PDI medications following an MVC remain to be elucidated.

Driving Skills at Licensure and Time to First Crash.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Young drivers are overrepresented in crashes, and newly licensed drivers are at high risk, particularly in the months immediately post-licensure. Using a virtual driving assessment (VDA) implemented in the licensing workflow in Ohio, this study examined how driving skills measured at the time of licensure contribute to crash risk post-licensure in newly licensed young drivers. METHODS: This study examined 16 914 young drivers (<25 years of age) in Ohio who completed the VDA at the time of licensure and their subsequent police-reported crash records. By using the outcome of time to first crash, a Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the risk of a crash during the follow-up period as a function of VDA Driving Class (and Skill Cluster) membership. RESULTS: The best performing No Issues Driving Class had a crash risk 10% lower than average (95% confidence interval [CI] 13% to 6%), whereas the Major Issues with Dangerous Behavior Class had a crash risk 11% higher than average (95% CI 1% to 22%). These results withstood adjusting for covariates (age, sex, and tract-level socioeconomic status indicators). At the same time, drivers licensed at age 18 had a crash risk 16% higher than average (95% CI 6% to 27%). CONCLUSIONS: This population-level study reveals that driving skills measured at the time of licensure are a predictor of crashes early in licensure, paving the way for better prediction models and targeted, personalized interventions. The authors of future studies should explore time- and exposure-varying risks.

Variation in drivers' seat belt use by indicators of community-level vulnerability.

INTRODUCTION: Examining crash reports with linked community-level indicators may optimize efforts aimed at improving traffic safety behaviors, like seat belt use. To examine this, quasi-induced exposure (QIE) methods and linked data were used to (a) estimate trip-level seat belt non-use of New Jersey (NJ) drivers and (b) determine the degree to which seat belt non-use is associated with community-level indicators of vulnerability. METHOD: Driver-specific characteristics were identified from crash reports (age, sex, number of passengers, vehicle type) and licensing data (license status at the time of the crash). Geocoded residential addresses were leveraged within the NJ Safety and Health Outcomes warehouse to create quintiles of community-level vulnerability. QIE methods were applied to estimate trip-level prevalence of seat belt non-use in non-responsible, crash-involved drivers between 2010-2017 (n = 986,837). Generalized linear mixed models were then conducted to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios and 95 % confidence intervals for being unbelted for driver-specific variables and community-level indicators of vulnerability. RESULTS: Drivers were unbelted during 1.2 % of trips. Males, those with suspended licenses, and those without passengers had higher rates of being unbelted than their counterparts. An increase was observed in traveling unbelted with increasing quintiles of vulnerability, such that drivers in the most vulnerable communities were 121 % more likely to be unbelted than those in the least vulnerable communities. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of driver seat belt non-use may be lower than previously estimated. Additionally, communities with the highest amount of the population living with three or more indicators of vulnerability have higher rates of seat belt non-use; this may be a particularly useful metric to inform future translational efforts improving seat belt use. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: As evidenced by the findings that risk of being unbelted increased as drivers' community vulnerability increased, novel communication efforts tailored to drivers from vulnerable neighborhoods may optimize efforts.

Sociodemographic disparities in child restraint selection and variation in child passenger safety information sources.

PURPOSE: Marginalized and otherwise vulnerable groups remain at higher risk than their counterparts for not having all of their children appropriately restrained during vehicle trips. Little is known about potential sources of these disparities, however a commonly theorized factor has been where caregivers find or obtain information (i.e., their information sources). The objective of this study was to: (1) characterize caregivers' actual and preferred sources of information related to child passenger safety information, overall and within sociodemographic groups; and (2) determine if, and if so how, sources impact appropriate child restraint use (i.e., child/seat fit). METHODS: We conducted an online, cross-sectional survey of US caregivers. Caregivers answered questions about themselves, their child(ren), their child(ren)'s restraint use during trips, and their information sources to learn which seat their child should be using. We used Fisher's exact and Pearson chi-square tests to compare used and preferred sources of information across caregiver demographics (age, education, race/ethnicity), as well as to determine whether information sources were associated with caregivers' appropriate child restraint use. RESULTS: A total of 1,302 caregivers from 36 states with 2,092 children completed the survey. The majority (91%) of children were appropriately restrained. More caregivers from marginalized and otherwise vulnerable groups had children inappropriately restrained when compared with their counterparts. We identified multiple differences in both used and preferred information sources by caregivers' age, race/ethnicity, and education level. In addition, we found a trend that caregivers from populations with higher rates of inappropriate use seemingly used fewer information sources. Ultimately, information sources were not associated with appropriate restraint use; however, within vulnerable populations, almost all caregivers had all of their children appropriately restrained if they had used a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)/Inspection Station or their Pediatrician. CONCLUSION: Our findings reiterate calls for more tailored interventions and efforts to combat widening disparities in child restraint use and crash outcomes and suggest one promising method may be providing more access to child passenger safety experts. Future studies must untangle the likely complex relationship between information sources and appropriate/accurate child restraint use.

Motor Vehicle Crash Risk among Adults Undergoing General Surgery: A Retrospective Case-crossover Study.

BACKGROUND: Surgery causes transient impairment in cognition and function, which may impact driving safety. The authors hypothesized that the risk of a motor vehicle crash would increase after compared to before surgery. METHODS: The authors performed a nested case-crossover study within population-based observational data from the New Jersey Safety Health Outcomes Data Warehouse. The study included adults 18 yr or older with a valid driver's license who underwent general surgery in an acute care hospital in New Jersey between January 1, 2016, and November 30, 2017, and were discharged home. Individuals served as their own controls within a presurgery interval (56 days to 28 days before surgery) and postsurgery interval (discharge through 28 days after surgery). General surgery was defined by Common Procedural Terminology Codes. The primary outcome was a police-reported motor vehicle crash. RESULTS: In a cohort of 70,722 drivers, the number of crashes after surgery was 263 (0.37%) compared to 279 (0.39%) before surgery. Surgery was not associated with a change in crash incidence greater than 28 days using a case-crossover design (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.09; P = 0.340). Statistical interaction was present for sex and hospital length of stay. Younger versus older adults (adjusted risk ratio, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.10 to 3.18; P = 0.021) and non-Hispanic Black individuals (adjusted risk ratio, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.33 to 2.88; P = 0.001) and Hispanic individuals (adjusted risk ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.91; P = 0.047) versus non-Hispanic White individuals had a greater risk of a crash after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Using population-based crash and hospital discharge data, the incidence of motor vehicle crashes over a 28-day period did not change on average before compared to after surgery. The authors provide data on crash risk after surgery and highlight specific populations at risk.

Characteristics of Fatal Poisonings Among Infants and Young Children in the United States.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fatal poisoning is a preventable cause of death among young children. Understanding factors surrounding these deaths will inform future prevention efforts. Our objective was to describe the characteristics of fatal pediatric poisonings using child death review data. METHODS: We acquired data from 40 states participating in the National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System on deaths attributed to poisonings among children aged ≤5 years from 2005 to 2018. We analyzed select demographic, supervisor, death investigation, and substance-related variables using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: During the study period, 731 poisoning-related fatalities were reported by child death reviews to the National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System. Over two-fifths (42.1%, 308 of 731) occurred among infants aged <1 year, and most fatalities (65.1%, 444 of 682) occurred in the child's home. One-sixth of children (97 of 581) had an open child protective services case at time of death. Nearly one-third (32.2%, 203 of 631) of children were supervised by an individual other than the biological parent. Opioids (47.3%, 346 of 731) were the most common substance contributing to death, followed by over-the-counter pain, cold, and allergy medications (14.8%, 108 of 731). Opioids accounted for 24.1% (7 of 29) of the substances contributing to deaths in 2005 compared with 52.2% (24 of 46) in 2018. CONCLUSIONS: Opioids were the most common substances contributing to fatal poisonings among young children. Over-the-counter medications continue to account for pediatric fatalities even after regulatory changes. These data highlight the importance of tailored prevention measures to further reduce fatal child poisonings.

Brief Report: Healthcare Providers' Discussions Regarding Transportation and Driving with Autistic and Non-autistic Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize healthcare and behavioral service providers' transportation-related discussions with their autistic and non-autistic patients. METHOD: 78 providers completed a cross-sectional survey assessing their transportation discussions with patients. We used Mann-Whitney U tests and chi-square tests to compare differences in provider reports by patient diagnosis. RESULTS: Compared with one in two providers who reported they discuss transportation with non-autistic patients, only one in five have these conversations with their autistic patients. Few (8%) providers felt prepared to assess driving readiness in autistic patients, yet only a quarter refer patients elsewhere. CONCLUSION: There is a critical need to develop resources for use in medical settings to effectively support autistic adolescents' independence and mobility as they transition into adulthood.

Distance From Home to Motor Vehicle Crash Location: Implications for License Restrictions Among Medically-At-Risk Older Drivers.

In 30 states, licensing agencies can restrict the distance from home that "medically-at-risk" drivers are permitted to drive. However, where older drivers crash relative to their home or how distance to crash varies by medical condition is unknown. Using geocoded crash locations and residential addresses linked to Medicare claims, we describe how the relationship between distance from home to crash varies by driver characteristics. We find that a majority of crashes occur within a few miles from home with little variation across driver demographics or medical conditions. Thus, distance restrictions may not reduce crash rates among older adults, and the tradeoff between safety and mobility warrants consideration.

Novel use of a virtual driving assessment to classify driver skill at the time of licensure.

Motor vehicle crash rates are highest immediately after licensure, and driver error is one of the leading causes. Yet, few studies have quantified driving skills at the time of licensure, making it difficult to identify at-risk drivers before independent driving. Using data from a virtual driving assessment implemented into the licensing workflow in Ohio, this study presents the first population-level study classifying degree of skill at the time of licensure and validating these against a measure of on-road performance: license exam outcomes. Principal component and cluster analysis of 33,249 virtual driving assessments identified 20 Skill Clusters that were then grouped into 4 major summary "Driving Classes"; i) No Issues (i.e. careful and skilled drivers); ii) Minor Issues (i.e. an average new driver with minor vehicle control skill deficits); iii) Major Issues (i.e. drivers with more control issues and who take more risks); and iv) Major Issues with Aggression (i.e. drivers with even more control issues and more reckless and risk-taking behavior). Category labels were determined based on patterns of VDA skill deficits alone (i.e. agnostic of the license examination outcome). These Skill Clusters and Driving Classes had different distributions by sex and age, reflecting age-related licensing policies (i.e. those under 18 and subject to GDL and driver education and training), and were differentially associated with subsequent performance on the on-road licensing examination (showing criterion validity). The No Issues and Minor Issues classes had lower than average odds of failing, and the other two more problematic Driving Classes had higher odds of failing. Thus, this study showed that license applicants can be classified based on their driving skills at the time of licensure. Future studies will validate these Skill Cluster classes in relation to their prediction of post-licensure crash outcomes.

Restraint use characteristics among crash-involved child passengers: identifying opportunities to enhance optimal restraint use.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe child passenger restraint use in police reported crashes by key child and driver characteristics. METHODS: We used data from 2017-2019 police reported crashes in New Jersey to identify child passengers who: (1) were less than 13 years of age, (2) were in an identified seating location in the first, second, or third vehicle row, and (3) had a known restraint status at the time of the crash. We described prevalence of child restraint use by key child and driver characteristics (child: age, sex, seating position, and crash-reported injury status; driver: age, sex, restraint use, evidenced alcohol use, and crash fault). We included 108,780 crash-involved child passengers in our analytic sample. RESULTS: A small proportion of child passengers were unrestrained at the time of the crash. Most child passengers <2 years were restrained in a rear-facing restraint (59.7%). However, a sizeable proportion were either forward-facing (26.7%) or belted (11.3%). Use of booster seats among passengers age 5 to 8 years was limited. We observed few fatalities, with most children noted to have no apparent injury (89.8%). Among children with serious, minor, and possible injuries, the greatest proportion of injured children were restrained by the vehicle belt. Regarding driver characteristics, slightly more than half of child passengers riding in vehicles driven by drivers aged 21-34 years were restrained in either rear- or forward-facing restraints (53.0%), whereas the majority of children riding with younger (<21 years) or older (>34 years) drivers were restrained with the vehicle belt. Among unrestrained drivers, drivers with evidence of alcohol use, and drivers at fault for the crash, a larger proportion of children were unrestrained compared to drivers who were restrained, had no evidence of alcohol use, and were not at fault. CONCLUSIONS: While most child passengers were restrained at the time a crash, optimal age-based restraint use was inconsistent, particularly for the youngest child passengers. A sizeable proportion of drivers in this study failed to adhere to best practice recommendations for child restraint use and New Jersey child passenger restraint laws. This was particularly true for drivers who engaged in unsafe driving behaviors, for whom a larger proportion child passengers were unrestrained at the time of the crash. Across all injury categories, the greatest proportion of injured children were restrained by the vehicle belt rather than a child restraint system, suggesting a continued need to understand specific patterns of injuries to inform possible mitigation efforts. Future work to identify intervention opportunities for optimal child restraint practices for drivers is essential to enhancing child passenger safety.

Improving identification of crash injuries: Statewide integration of hospital discharge and crash report data.

OBJECTIVE: The availability of complete and accurate crash injury data is critical to prevention and intervention efforts. Relying solely on hospital discharge data or police crash reports may result in a biased undercount of injuries. Linking hospital data with crash reports may allow for a more robust identification of injuries and an understanding of which populations may be missed in an analysis of one source. We used the New Jersey Safety and Health Outcomes (NJ-SHO) data warehouse to examine the share of the entire crash-injured population identified in each of the two data sources, overall and by age, race/ethnicity, sex, injury severity, and road user type. METHODS: We utilized 2016-2017 data from the NJ-SHO warehouse. We identified crash-involved individuals in hospital discharge data by applying the ICD-10-CM external cause of injury matrix. Among crash-involved individuals, we identified those with injury- or pain-related diagnosis codes as being injured. We also identified crash-involved individuals via crash report data and identified injuries using the KABCO scale. We jointly examined the two sources; injuries in the hospital discharge data were documented as being related to the same crash as injuries found in the crash report data if the date of the crash report preceded the date of hospital admission by no more than two days. RESULTS: In total, there were 262,338 crash-involved individuals with a documented injury in the hospital discharge data or on the crash report during the study period; 168,874 had an injury according to hospital discharge data, and 164,158 had an injury in crash report data. Only 70,694 (26.9%) had an injury in both sources. We observed differences by age, race/ethnicity, injury severity, and road user type: hospital discharge data captured a larger share of those ages 65+, those who were Black or Hispanic, those with higher severity injuries, and those who were bicyclists or motorcyclists. CONCLUSIONS: Each data source in isolation captures approximately two-thirds of the entire crash-injured population; one source alone misses approximately one-third of injured individuals. Each source undercounts people in certain groups, so relying on one source alone may not allow for tailored prevention and intervention efforts.

Real-World Crash Circumstances Among Newly Licensed Adolescent Drivers With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PURPOSE: Adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have 30%-40% higher crash rates. However, we still do not understand which factors underlie heightened crash risk and if crash circumstances differ for drivers with ADHD. We compared prevalences of crash responsibility, driver actions, and crash types among adolescent and young adult drivers with and without ADHD who crashed within 48 months of licensure. METHODS: In this exploratory retrospective cohort study, we identified patients of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's (CHOP) New Jersey (NJ) primary care locations who were born between 1987 and 2000, NJ residents, had their last CHOP visit ≥ age 12 years, and acquired a driver's license. We linked CHOP electronic health records to NJ's licensing and crash databases. ADHD diagnosis was based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification/International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Prevalence ratios were estimated using generalized estimating equation log-binomial regression. RESULTS: We identified 934 drivers with ADHD in 1,308 crashes and 5,158 drivers without ADHD in 6,676 crashes. Within 48 months postlicensure, drivers with ADHD were more likely to be at fault for their crash (prevalence ratio: 1.09 [1.05-1.14]) and noted as inattentive (1.15 [1.07-1.23]). With the exception that drivers with ADHD were less likely to crash while making a left/U-turn, we did not find substantial differences in crash types by diagnosis. Analyses also suggest females with ADHD may have a higher risk of colliding with a nonmotor vehicle and crashing due to unsafe speed than females without ADHD. DISCUSSION: The results suggest crash circumstances do not widely differ for drivers with and without ADHD but highlight several factors that may be particularly challenging for young drivers with ADHD.

Transition to Adulthood for Autistic Adolescents: Topics Discussed by Healthcare Providers With Autistic Patients and Families.

PURPOSE: We surveyed healthcare providers to determine the extent to which they discuss transition-to-adulthood topics with autistic patients without intellectual disabilities. METHODS: Seventy-four healthcare providers in the Philadelphia area reported on the patient age at which they begin transition conversations, topics covered, and provider comfort. We calculated the proportion of providers who endorsed each transition topic, overall and by clinical setting. RESULTS: Providers initiated transition-related conversations at a median age of 16 years (IQR: 14, 18), with over half reporting they were "somewhat" or "a little" comfortable with discussions. Nearly all providers discussed at least one healthcare, well-being, and mental health topic, while basic need-related discussions were limited. DISCUSSION: Results suggest providers may delay and feel poorly prepared to provide anticipatory guidance to autistic patients for transition to adulthood. Future efforts to enhance the available resources and preparation available to providers are essential to meet autistic patients' needs.

Behind the Wheel: Specialized Driving Instructors' Experiences and Strategies for Teaching Autistic Adolescents to Drive.

IMPORTANCE: In the transition to adulthood, driving supports independence. For autistic adolescents, training provided by specialized driving instructors, including occupational therapists, may establish fitness to drive and continued independence. OBJECTIVE: To examine specialized driving instructors' experiences providing behind-the-wheel instruction to autistic adolescents. DESIGN: We recruited participants through purposive and snowball sampling of members of ADED, the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists. Interviews investigated experiences providing instruction, autistic students' strengths and challenges, strategies used, and recommendations to improve the learning-to-drive process. We coded transcripts using a directed content analysis approach. SETTING: Telephone interviews. PARTICIPANTS: Specialized driving instructors (N = 17) trained as occupational therapists, driver rehabilitation specialists, or licensed driving instructors with recent experience providing behind-the-wheel training for autistic adolescents participated. RESULTS: Behind-the-wheel challenges included mental inflexibility, distractibility, and difficulties with social cues and motor coordination. Instructors acknowledged students' strengths, including adherence to rules of the road, limited risk taking, and careful observations. Instructors scaffolded learning to help students develop skills. Although licensure and driving outcomes were sometimes unknown to instructors, students who became licensed frequently drove with supervision or restrictions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Licensure is possible for autistic adolescents, although developing fitness to drive requires individualization and rigorous specialized instruction, which may culminate in delayed or restricted driving. What This Article Adds: This article highlights challenges and strengths encountered by specialized driving instructors teaching autistic adolescents. Despite requiring prolonged training, autistic adolescents can achieve licensure when supported by specialized instruction that is individualized to their needs and strengths.