Open AccessRear seating position is associated with a higher risk of mortality in motor vehicle crashes: analysis of Japanese Trauma Data Bank
Author(s) -
Okada Nobunaga,
Matsuyama Tasuku,
Takebe Kotaro,
Kitamura Tetsuhisa,
Sado Junya,
Ohta Bon
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
acute medicine and surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2052-8817
DOI - 10.1002/ams2.444
Subject(s) - medicine , logistic regression , motor vehicle crash , confidence interval , odds ratio , crash , injury prevention , demography , poison control , emergency medicine , medical emergency , sociology , computer science , programming language
Aim The study examined the association of vehicle seating positions with the risk of death in serious motor vehicle crashes ( MVC s) in Japan. Methods Data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank between 2004 and 2015 were analyzed. All MVC drivers with the legal age for driving and all copassengers were enrolled ( n = 23,040). The cases were divided into three groups based on their seating position during the crash: the driver seat, front passenger seat, and rear passenger seats. The primary outcome variable was in‐hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between the seating position and in‐hospital mortality. Potential factors associated with each seating position and in‐hospital mortality were also assessed. Results The odds ratios ( OR s) for deaths were estimated for front and rear passengers compared to those for the driver in MVC s. The adjusted OR s (95% confidence interval [CI]) for death were 0.96 (0.84–1.11) and 1.22 (1.04–1.42) for front and rear passengers, respectively. Factors significantly associated with MVC deaths were age over 71 years ( OR = 3.38; 95% CI , 2.58–4.41), male gender ( OR = 1.54; 95% CI , 1.39–1.71), and night driving ( OR = 1.17; 95% CI , 1.06–1.29). Conclusions This hospital‐based study suggested that rear seating increased the risk of MVC ‐related death. Further studies are needed in order to find mechanisms of the increase in mortality by the seating position.