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Characterization of pediatric golf cart injuries to guide injury prevention efforts
Joseph R Starnes1, Purnima Unni2, Cherie A Fathy1
1Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Ave., Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
Insights
Golf cart injuries are a significant cause of harm in children, leading to extensive hospital stays and costs. Implementing safety measures and regulating driving age can prevent these serious injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Trauma
- Injury Prevention
- Public Health
Background:
- Golf cart injuries are a growing concern in the U.S.
- Understanding injury circumstances is key to prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize golf cart-related injuries in pediatric patients.
- To identify risk factors and inform prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of a trauma registry.
- Analysis of pediatric patients (<18 years) admitted for golf cart injuries (2008-2016).
Main Results:
- 40 crashes resulted in 82 hospital days and over $1 million in charges.
- 25% of patients had severe injuries (ISS >15); head/neck and external injuries were most common.
- Lack of seatbelt use and young drivers (as young as 9) were noted, with child drivers linked to cart overturning.
Conclusions:
- Golf cart crashes cause significant pediatric morbidity.
- Enhanced safety features (seatbelts, restraints) and regulations (driving age, education) are recommended.
Background:
Golf cart injuries represent an increasing source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Characterization of the circumstances of these injuries can inform injury prevention efforts.
Methods:
This study retrospectively reviews a prospective trauma registry at a level-one pediatric trauma center for golf cart-related injuries in patients under 18years of age admitted to the hospital between 2008 and 2016.
Results:
The 40 identified crashes were associated with 82 hospital days, 17 ICU days, and more than $1 million in hospital charges over the study period. The median hospital stay was 1.5days, and the median hospital charge was $20,489. Severe injuries with an Injury Severity Score of >15 were identified in 25% of patients, and moderate injuries with scores between nine and 15 were identified in an additional 30%. The most common injures were head and neck (60%) and external injuries to the body surface (52.5%). Only a single child was wearing a seatbelt, and the vast majority was not using any safety equipment. Children as young as nine years old were driving golf carts, and child drivers were associated with the cart overturning (p=0.007).
Conclusions:
Golf cart crashes were a source of substantial morbidity at a level-one trauma center. Increased safety measures, such as higher hip restraints, seatbelts, and front-wheel breaks could substantially increase the safety of golf carts. Increased regulation of driving age as well as driver education may also reduce these injuries.
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