S U S A N H A R D M A N

M I C H A E L B A U E R , M S

N E W Y O R K S TAT E D E PA RT M E N T O F H E A LT H

B A R B A R A A L B E R S O N , M P H

C A L I F O R N I A D E PA RT M E N T O F P U B L I C H E A LT H

C A R O L E . T H O R N T O N , M PA

P E N N S Y LVA N I A D E PA RT M E N T O F H E A LT H

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What is the Role of Public Health in Traffic Safety?

Joint 2011 Safe States Alliance/SAVIR/CDC Grantees Annual Meeting

April 7, 2011

Session Goals2

Identify at least 10 similarities between the public health and highway safety approaches to injury prevention and traffic safety.

Identify at least four data sets that will assist in defining the problem of traffic injuries and crashes.

Describe at least three specific traffic safety programs and describe public health’s unique role.

Provide a forum for discussion.

Public Health and Traffic Safety:

Similarities and Differences3

1. End goal the same: Reduce death and Injury from crashes on our Roadways

Traffic Safety: Approach is often swift and takes advantage of teachable moments with the Media

Public Health: Examines the who, what, where and why of the events and relies on implementing

evidence-based strategies

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities4

2. Point of Contact

There is a Highway Safety office and a Public Health agency in every state with defined duties and

responsibilities.

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities5

3. Terms Have Similar Meanings.

Traffic Safety Language: Countermeasures, annual numbers of deaths, engineering approaches,

enforcement of laws, vehicle technology, general audience awareness campaigns

Public Health Language: Interventions, strategies, evidence-based, best practices, trends, death and injury, morbidity and mortality, research studies, epidemiology, targeted education and awareness

campaigns

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities6

4. Use a Variety of Data Sources

Traffic Safety: Crash data, ticket data, observational data, death data- FARS- Fatality Analysis Reporting

System

Public Health: EMS patient care reports, injury data, death data, trauma system data, observational data,

survey data

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities7

5. Develop Strategic Plans

Traffic Safety: Develop an annual highway safety plan.

Public Health: Develop state injury prevention plans.

6. Have a Community Focus

Traffic Safety and Public Health focus on building community-based traffic safety initiatives.

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities8

6. Provide Funding Support

Traffic Safety: Section 402 grant funding to local and state level organizations and agencies

Public Health: When available, provide funding to conduct traffic safety and injury prevention projects.

7. Provide Technical Assistance

Traffic Safety and Public Health provide data and program support via fact sheets, websites, trainings,

topic specific forums and symposiums, and via telephone and email.

Traffic Safety/ Public Health Similarities9

8. Support Policy Initiatives

Traffic Safety and Public Health support laws and regulations that protect the public.

9. Promote Best Practices

Traffic Safety and Public Health provide education to practitioners and the public on best practice

strategies for using child safety seats, seat belts, bicycle and motorcycle helmets and implementing

traffic safety programs.

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities10

10. Monitor Progress and Evaluate Outcomes

Traffic Safety and Public Health establish milestones and performance measures to monitor progress.

Both require work plans including goals, objectives, activities and evaluation methodology.

Traffic Safety/Public Health Similarities11

More alike than different!

1. Learn their language.

2. Speak their language.

3. Teach your language.

4. Respect the differences.

5. Use the differences to make a difference!

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CDC’s Winnable Battle

Seat belts andchild passenger safety

Teen driver safety

Alcohol-impaired driving

http://www.cdc.gov/WinnableBattles/MotorVehicleInjury/

CDC’s Winnable Battle13

Focus Areas:

Seat belts: Increase the use of seat belts by every person, in every seat, on every trip.

Teen driving safety: Keep teen drivers safe through graduated drivers licensing systems and enhanced parental involvement.

Alcohol-impaired driving: Promote the adoption of ignition interlock programs and prevention strategies proven to be effective, such as sobriety checkpoints and zero tolerance policies.

DATA

COLLABORATION/PROGRAM

POLICY

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Perspectives from Three States: CA, NY, and PA

Data: New York15

State Health Department Data

Statewide Planning And Research Cooperative System (SPARCS)

Hospital Discharge Data

Outpatient Emergency Department Visits (ED)

Vital Statistics and Multiple Cause-of-Death

NYS death certificate data

Pre-Hospital Care Reports

Bureau of Emergency Medical Services

Data: New York16

Traffic Safety Data

Accident Information System (AIS)

Crash and ticket data from the Department of Motor Vehicles

Data: New York17

Public Health and Traffic Safety Linked Data

Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES)

Matches individual records from AIS to SPARCS and PCR.

Expands crash data so that components of highway safety can be evaluated in terms of outcomes such as death, injury, injury severity, medical diagnosis, patient disposition, hospital charges, and payer source.

Creates a fuller picture of the crash and resultant outcomes.

Data: New York18

Partners Bureau of Injury Prevention Programmatic Staff NYS Highway Safety Office NYS DOH, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services NYS DMV, Bureau of Program Analysis and Data Services The NYS Trauma Registry The Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research Traffic Records Coordinating Committee NYS Association of Traffic Safety Boards State Trauma Advisory Committee Emergency Medical Services for Children Advisory Committee NYS Safe Kids Coalitions Local Health Departments

Data: New York19

General Applications

To conduct studies that examine the incidence, risk factors, and societal costs for traffic crashes and injuries.

Educate legislators

Support traffic safety programs

Provide data summaries to traffic safety and public health professionals

Target high risk communities for prevention initiatives

Fact sheets and brochures

Articles

News releases

Data: Pennsylvania20

Available Data Sets:

Vital Statistics

Hospitalizations

Crash Records

PA Trauma Outcomes Study

EMS

Data: Pennsylvania21

Opportunities

Joint Monograph on Teen Driver Crashes

Crash Records

Hospitalization Data

Trauma Data

Driver Records

EMS

Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC)

2010 Traffic Records Assessment

Objective Review: Included recommendation to consider surveillance linkage under the TRCC.

Collaboration/Program: New York22

Grant Funding from the State Highway Safety Office Supports surveillance, including CODES.

Supports collaboration with other agencies and organizations in the areas of: occupant restraint, including child passenger safety, teen drivers, older drivers, drowsy driving, distracted driving, motorcycle safety, pedestrian, bicycle, in-line skating, scooter and skateboard safety, annual training opportunities to promote best practices, professional growth and cultural competency.

Driver Education collaborative with NYS Department of Motor Vehicles and State Education Department to identify curriculum components and other mechanisms to increase teen driving safety.

Collaboration/Program: New York23

Injury Community Planning Group and Child Policy Subgroup

-Members from state DMV, HSO and DOT Public Health is lead for NYS Teen Driving Safety

Workgroup, NYS Partnership for Addressing Drowsy Driving Workgroup and the NYS CODES Advisory Board.

Public Health is a member of the following: Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, Traffic Records Coordinating Council, NYS Trauma Advisory Committee, SRTS Committee, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Group, Child Passenger Safety Advisory Board, Older Driver Safety Committee, Traffic Safety Board Association, and NYS SAFE KIDS Executive Board.

Policy: Pennsylvania24

Transportation Efforts

Comprehensive Strategic Highway Safety Improvement Plan

Multi-Agency Safety Team

Traffic Records Coordinating Committee

Safe Routes to School

Public Health Efforts

Injury Community Planning Group

Members from state and local level transportation organizations

Spearheading Teen Driving Safety Alliance

Partially funding five “Safe and Healthy Communities” programs to promote health and safety through an integrated approach.

Policy: New York25

Public Health identifies injury trends, provides data and fact sheets using social math examples and provides information about evidence-based strategies and best practices for the HSO to use with legislators to support changes in the state Vehicle and Traffic Law.

Public Health conducts interactive workshops for local and state traffic safety and injury prevention professionals about how to use policy tools to effect change.

Comprehensive Example: California26

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Discussion