Motorcycle Helmet Use and Head and Facial Injuries: Crash Outcomes in CODES-Linked Data
Abstract
This report examines the relationship between motorcycle helmet use and motorcycle crash outcomes in terms of injury types, hospital charges, and other variables employing data from the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES), a program facilitated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Helmeted motorcyclists were less likely to experience facial and head injuries compared to unhelmeted motorcyclists. Helmeted motorcyclists were significantly less likely to experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs are of particular concern in this study. TBI was associated with significantly higher hospital charges. Additionally, motorcyclists with TBI were much less likely to be discharged home and more likely to require rehabilitation or to be discharged to a long-term care facility following their hospitalization. Both of these destinations are likely to result in costs and burdens for the injured motorcyclists beyond the scope of this study’s data. Finally, motorcyclists involved in alcohol- or drug-related crashes and speed-related crashes had higher odds of experiencing poor outcomes.
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