Risk factors and mechanisms of occurrence in motor vehicle-related spinal cord injuries: Utah.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the incidence, risk factors, and crash factors of motor-vehicle-related spinal cord injuries in Utah. The Utah Department of Health established a statewide registry of spinal cord injuries (SCIs) occurring in 1989-1991, analyzing data from hospital medical records and police reports. Forty-nine percent of all SCIs involved motor vehicles, including injuries arising from motor vehicle collisions with bicyclists and pedestrians. Adolescent and young adult males were at highest risk of injury. Among occupants of automobiles and trucks with SCI, 70% were involved in a vehicle rollover, while 39% were ejected from the vehicle. Only 25% reported using seatbelts. SCIs were much more likely to be associated with rollover compared with other types of motor vehicle-occupant injuries. These findings suggest areas in which SCI prevention programs and research should be focused.