Number 371 March 2009

Traffic Safety Facts

Traffic Tech – Technology Transfer Series

U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducts the Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey (MVOSS)

on a periodic basis to monitor the public’s attitudes, knowledge, and self-reported behavior regarding occupant protection devices (seat belts, child restraints, air bags). The 2007

survey consisted of two questionnaires, each administered

by telephone to a randomly selected national sample of about

6,000 persons age 16 and older. Interviewing ran from January 9, 2007 to April 30, 2007.

Following are selected findings from Volume 4 in the series of

NHTSAreports that present detailed results from the survey.

Volume 4 addresses crash injury, emergency medical services

(EMS), and driver use of wireless phones. All information

provided is based on self-report.

1 out of 4 Have Suffered Crash Injuries

Just over one-quarter (26%) of people 16 and older reported

ever having been injured in a motor vehicle crash where they

required medical attention. The proportions for males and

females were about the same, 25% and 26% respectively.

About 1% (1.1%) ofthe total population 16 and olderincurred

a crash injury in the past year; 8% incurred crash injury in the

past 5 years (this includes the 1% during the past year). More

than one-third (35%) of those who sustained a crash injury

during the past year were under age 25. Figure 1 shows the

higher crash injury rates during the past year among the

youngest age groups.

Those who received a crash-related injury requiring medical attention at any time in the past were asked where they

were treated for the injuries. If they were injured in multiple

crashes, then respondents were asked to provide information

only on the mostrecent crash (this was true for all questions).

They were given the opportunity to report more than one

type of treatment site if they received treatment at more than

one place. Most (76%) were treated in a hospital emergency

room. Forty percent were treated at the crash scene and 34%

were treated in a doctor’s office.

Nearly one-fourth (24%) of those injured in a vehicle crash

ended up hospitalized. Hospitalization was more likely if

the individual had not been wearing a seat belt, with 32% of

nonusers being hospitalized compared to 19% of those wearing a seat belt. More than one-half (56%) of those everinjured

received follow-up treatment, most often in a doctor’s office

(44%). 

Almost one-half (47%) of crash injuries occurred within 5

miles of home. Most often, crash injury victims were going

home (43%), to work (13%), orto a friend’s home (10%) when

the crash occurred. These were also the most common locations from which the crash victims began their trips that

resulted in injury (40% coming from home, 18% from work,

and 12% from a friend’s home).

Overall, 26% of the total population 16 and older had been

injured in a vehicle crash to the extent of needing medical

attention. More than one-half of those ever injured, or 15%

of the total population, had at some time been unable to

perform some of their normal activities for at least a week

because of the crash. Four percent of the total population

was unable to resume some of their normal activities even a

year after the crash.

2007 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey 

(MVOSS) Results: Crash Injuries and Emergency 

Medical Services 

Figure 1: Percent of Population 

Crash-Injured In Past Year by Age

3.0

1.1%

2.7%

1.9%

1.1%

1.3%

1.1%

0.8%

0.2%

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

Total 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Percent
TRAFFIC TECH is a publication to disseminate information about

traffic safety programs, including evaluations, innovative programs, and new publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish. If

you would like to receive a copy, contact Dr. Angela Eichelberger,

Editor, fax 202-366-7394, e-mail: traffic.tech@dot.gov.

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., NTI-130

Washington, DC 20590

Wireless Phone Use

More than 8-in-10 drivers (81%) 16 or older usually have a

wireless phone in their vehicles when they drive. Most of

them said they keep the phone turned on so they can receive

calls during all (74%) or most (12%) trips. And about onethird (33%) said they talk on the phone during half or more

of their trips while driving (see Figure 2).

Drivers who saidthey atleast on occasion talkedon thephone

while driving were asked if they tend to hold the phone by

hand whenusing it, ortendtouse thephone hands free. More

than one-half (54%) tend to hold the phone by hand. Among

the 45% who typically use the phone hands free, more than

one-half (53%) said they always use the phone hands free.

Drivers who at least on occasion talk on the phone while

driving were asked what they do when they want to dial

the phone. Thirty-two percent said they tended to dial

while driving, 37% said they tended to dial while temporarily stopped, and 19% said they tended to pull over and stop

before dialing.

Emergency Medical Services

Forty-four percent of persons 16 or older have called 9-1-1

or some other emergency number at some time in the past.

More than one-half (53%) called for an ambulance, rescue

squad, or EMS; 28% called for the police; and 11% called

for the fire department. About one-third of those who had

called an emergency number had done so in the past week

(2%), month (7%), or year (24%). That translated into 14% of

the total population 16 or older having called an emergency

number within the past year.

About two-thirds of people (69%) expected an ambulance to

arrive within 10 minutes of being called for a medical emergency in the neighborhood. African-Americans (60%) and

Hispanics (63%) were less likely to expect arrival within 10

minutes than were Whites (72%) and non-Hispanics (71%).

Similarly, African-Americans (59%) and Hispanics (57%)

were less likely to be very confident that the emergency

workers would know what to do than were Whites (70%)

and non-Hispanics (69%).

Respondents were asked how interested they would be in

taking training to become an EMS provider, assuming it was

low cost and convenient. About two-in-five said they would

be very interested (13%) or somewhat interested (25%). Interest in such a course was inversely related to age, that is, as

people got older, interest declined. More than one-half in the

16-to-20 (64%), 21-to-24 (57%) and 25-to-34 (51%) age groups

said they would be very interested or somewhat interested.

From this point, interest declined to 38% in the 35-to-44 age

group, 34% in the 45-to-54 age group, 25% in the 55-to-64 age

group, and 14% for those 65 and older.

How to Order

For a copy of 2007 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey, Volume 

4 Crash Injury and Emergency Medical Services Report (62 pages

plus appendix) prepared by Schulman, Ronca, and Bucuvalas, Inc., write to the Office of Behavioral Safety Research,

NHTSA, NTI-130, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,

DC 20590, or send a fax to 202-366-7394, or download from

www.nhtsa.dot.gov. Alan Block was the project manager for

this study.

Never,

22%

Less Than

Half of

Trips,

44%

About

Half of

Trips,

17%

Most

Trips,

10%

All

Trips,

6%

Figure 2: How Often Talk On

Phone While Driving