Abstract
To describe the circumstances in which 15–19-year-old vehicle occupants are injured in road traffic crashes, compared with older casualties. Regression analysis of UK STATS19 police road traffic casualty data from 2008–2010. Odds ratios used to compare circumstances between 15 to 19 and 25 to 59-year-old passenger and driver casualty groups. Amongst 15–19-year olds, there were 27,552 car passenger casualties and 28,322 car driver casualties. 15–19-year olds were at greatest risk of being injured as passengers when being driven by a 17–19-year old (adjusted OR 25.4, 95 %CI 23.95–26.91) or between 9 pm and 5.59 am (adjusted OR 1.9, 95 %CI 1.83–2.01). Motorway driving was associated with a significantly reduced risk (adjusted OR 0.55, 95 %CI 0.49–0.61). For driver casualties, 15–19 year olds were at greatest risk when carrying a 15–19-year-old passenger (adjusted OR 12.1, 95 %CI 11.55–12.70) and between 9 pm and 5.59 am (adjusted OR 2.3, 9 %CI 2.22–2.39). Motorway travel again saw a significantly reduced risk (adjusted OR 0.37, 95 %CI 0.34–0.41). The main risk factors for road traffic injury to 15–19-year olds are travelling with occupants of a similar age or between 9 pm and 5.59 am. Other countries have implemented an intervention, graduated driver licensing (GDL), to tackle precisely these risk factors. The UK Government needs to review the case for GDL as a matter of urgency.
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