Evaluating the Potential Benefits of Advanced Automatic Crash Notification

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Traffic Safety
• Public Health

Background:

• Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN) systems in vehicles transmit crash data to emergency medical services (EMS).
• Understanding the impact of EMS response times and crash factors on fatality is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how EMS response times and crash characteristics influence motor vehicle collision (MVC) fatality odds.
• To determine if AACN data can enhance EMS preparedness and reduce mortality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN), Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS), and National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS CDS) from 1996-2012.
• Analyzed prehospital time segments using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models.

Main Results:

• Extended collision-to-EMS notification times correlated with increased invasive interventions and hospital transfers.
• Rural collisions with >30 minute notification times showed higher fatality rates compared to urban collisions.
• Extrication needs significantly increased on-scene and total prehospital times.

Conclusions:

• AACN can potentially reduce MVC mortality by enabling earlier EMS alerts and better resource preparation.
• Timely notification and specialized equipment can facilitate faster extrication and transfer to trauma centers.