Trends of Motor Vehicle Related Genitourinary Trauma as Compared to Motor Vehicle Fatalities From 2012 to 2022

To evaluate the association between motor vehicle accident (MVA) fatalities and the incidence of genitourinary (GU) injuries using national trauma and fatality data from 2012-2022. Motor vehicle fatalities represent the second-leading accidental cause of death in the United States. Motor vehicle crashes represent the most common cause of genitourinary injuries. Despite the decrease in motor vehicle accident (MVA) fatality rate over the past century, there has been no evaluation of relationships between fatality trends and incidence of genitourinary injuries.

Data were obtained from the National Trauma Database over an 11-year period (2012-2022). ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes were used to identify patients who sustained genitourinary injury(-ies) in motor vehicle-related accidents. Injury and patient-related demographic data were reviewed. National traffic fatality data were obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Descriptive statistics were performed per year; polynomial (quadratic) regression was then used to evaluate temporal trends.

Demographics were similar year-by-year with a male predominance (range over time = 63.9%-66.1%), and median ages in the thirties (range over time = 31-33). The most common genitourinary injury across all years was renal injuries. On polynomial regression, there was a strong positive correlation between motor vehicle fatalities and genitourinary injuries (adjust R² = 0.733, P = .002).

The frequency of genitourinary injuries has a positive correlation with motor vehicle fatalities. Given the predominance of blunt renal injuries in the MVA setting future efforts at improving motor vehicle safety should consider further protection from blunt trauma to the trunk.