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Show Behavioral Influences on Health Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths Compiled by Kristien McDonald The national and state age-adjusted mortality rates for motor vehicle crashes have generally decreased from 1985-2000 (Figure 1). In the United States as a whole. 37,409 people died in motor vehicle crash deaths in the year 2000. That same year. 373 people died in Utah in motor vehicle crash deaths, which is a 7% decrease from the year before. Possible reasons for the national and statewide decreases from the 1980s include increased seat belt use, improved vehicle safety features, improved transportation routes, improved driving habits and initiatives against alcohol use while driving (Table 1). The decrease in Utah's mortality rate in the mid-1980s may also be a reflection of the passage of the mandatory seatbelt law in 1985. The variation in the Utah to U.S. ratios of motor vehicle crash mortality rates is evidence of a decreased occurrence of motor vehicle crash deaths in Utah. Although Utah's rate was generally higher throughout the 1990s, it then fell below that national average in 1999. One factor contributing to this lower rate may be recent Utah legislation referred to as the Graduated Driving Law that places restrictions on new, 16 year old drivers. It restricts new drivers from carrying teen passengers for the first six months, increases the length of driving practice time under the supervision of an adult, and restricts most driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m. for the first year. This lower rate may also be due to local efforts of the Utah Highway Safety Office, such as Community Traffic Safety Programs that promote public education about traffic safety through coordination with the Utah Health Department. Utah Highway Patrol, Utah Safety Council, and other state organizations. Table 1. Safety Belt and Child Restraint Use Rate, Utah, 1986-2001. Year Utah U.S. Utah:U.S. 1985 20.7 18.80 1.12:1 1986 19.5 19.40 0.99:1 1987 18.0 19.50 0.93:1 1988 17.9 19.70 0.95:1 1989 18.3 18.90 0.99:1 1990 16.0 18.50 0.87:1 1991 14.6 17.00 0.87:1 1992 14.3 15.80 0.92:1 1993 17.4 15.60 1.12:1 1994 18.4 15.90 1.15:1 1995 16.8 15.70 1.08:1 1996 15.6 16.50 0.93:1 1997 18.7 15.80 1.15:1 1998 18.3 15.30 1.20:1 1999 14.6 15.50 0.94:1 2000 14.8 N/A N/A * Age-adjusted rates per 100,000 population. Rates are age-adjusted to the 1940 standard population. Figure 1. Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths, Utah and U.S., 1985-2000. o 25'° - © ~ 20.0 - a. I" S 15.0 - I 10.0 -I 5.0 - 0.0 •Utah •U.S.. 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Sources: Utah 1985-1998: Utah Department of Health, Division of Community Health. Action 2000. [Online] wyw. health, ut. us. U.S. 1985-1998: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Monthly Vital Statistics Report: Annual Summary of Births, Marriages, Divorces, and Deaths United States. [Online] www.cdc.goy/ Mchswww/. Utah and U.S. 1999-2000: Utah Department of Health, Center for Health Data. Deaths and death rates from unnatural causes, residents: Utah and United States, 1999-2000. [On-line] ht.i?r//wv/vv.heaMi..5tare.ut ua/bvr/pub vg/iaOO/GObx pdt. Utah Department of Public Safety. [Online] _n\ gfi - i'etv.Utah, gov/proar « i ^ .mnl Utah Codes Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System. [Online] ! tt? v< " i \ *. <. ^ ^ v pdf National Center for Statistics and Analysis. [Online]' ^ " v pJt 112 Utah's Health: An Annual Review Volume DC |