Abdominal injuries in survivors of road trauma before and since seat belt legislation in Victoria.

At St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, the number of patients admitted annually with road crash injuries has remained almost constant for the past 14 years. Comparing admissions in the seven years before and during the seven years since enactment of seat belt legislation in Victoria, there has been no change in the proportion of those admitted with abdominal injuries, in the number of associated non-abdominal severe injuries, or in the death rate of those admitted with abdominal injuries. There has, however, been a significant increase in the number of patients admitted with injuries of the gastrointestinal tract and diaphragm. It is suggested that this increase is due to incorrect wearing of the lap component of seat belts with resulting acute abdominal compression.