Evaluation of the effectiveness of daytime running lights (DRLs).

Introduction: Many studies have found that daytime running lights (DRLS) are effective in reducing daytime multi-vehicle crashes. From an Australian perspective, while studies exist using data from other jurisdictions, there has been uncertainty about how effective DRLs would be under Australian environmental conditions, which can differ from other parts of the world. In addition, in recent years DRLs have become a standard feature of many new vehicles.

Trends in mortality outcomes of hospital-admitted injury in Victoria, Australia 2001-2021.

Due to advancements in trauma treatment methods, it is expected that survivability of hospital-admitted injuries gradually improves over time. However, measurement of trends in all-cause injury survivability is complicated by changes in case mix, demographics and hospital admission policy. The aim of this study is to determine trends in hospital-admitted injury survivability in Victoria, Australia, taking case-mix and patient demographics into account, and to explore the potential impact of changes in hospital admission practices.

Early diagnosis and management of arterio-ureteral fistulas: A literature review.

Objectives: Arterio-ureteralfistula (AUF) is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening condition. The aim of this study was reviewing the literature to build a flow-chart useful for an early and effective diagnosis and treatment of this pathology.

Materials And Methods: A literature search in PubMed was conducted.

International classification of disease based injury severity score (ICISS): A data linkage study of hospital and death data in Victoria, Australia.

Background: Surveillance of severe injury incidence and prevalence using ICD-based injury severity scores (ICISS) requires valid, locally applicable diagnosis-specific survival probabilities (DSPs). This study aims to derive and validate ICISS in Victoria, Australia, and compare various ICISS methodologies in terms of accuracy and calculated severe injury prevalence.

Methods: This study used injury admissions (ICD-10-AM coded) from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Database (VAED) linked with death data (Cause of Death - Unit Record Files: CODURF).

Oncological and functional outcomes of extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: An 18-years, single-center experience.

Objective: To present a retrospective analysis on the oncological and functional outcomes of a single-center experience on a large series of extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomies (eLRP) with an extended follow-up.

Materials And Methods: Herein we present a retrospective review of patients who underwent eLRP. Oncological and functional follow-up data were collected by means of outpatient visits and telephone interviews, assessing overall mortality and biochemical recurrence-free survival.

Retrospective evaluation of vehicle whiplash-reducing head restraint systems to prevent whiplash injury in Victoria, Australia.

Head restraint systems specifically engineered to reduce the impact of whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision were introduced in the late 1990s with the aim of reducing whiplash injury risk that went 'beyond simple geometric improvements' to head restraints. Whilst studies have shown that whiplash-reducing head restraint systems are highly effective in reducing whiplash injury, these were based on a limited range of systems including Toyota's Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL) seating system, Volvo's Whiplash Injury Prevention System (WHIPS) and the Saab Active Head Restraint (SAHR) and have generally focussed on Swedish crash and insurance data. However, there has been no broad real-world crash-based evaluation of the effectiveness of whiplash-reducing head restraint systems currently present in the vehicle fleet that validates the results of these studies in other populations.

Understanding fatal older road user crash circumstances and risk factors.

Objective: This study used medicolegal data to investigate fatal older road user (ORU) crash circumstances and risk factors relating to four key components of the Safe System approach (e.g., roads and roadsides, vehicles, road users, and speeds) to identify areas of priority for targeted prevention activity.

Using medico-legal data to investigate fatal older road user crash circumstances and risk factors.

Objective: This study used medico-legal data to investigate fatal older road user (ORU, aged 65 years and older) crash circumstances and risk factors relating to 4 key components of the Safe System approach (e.g., roads and roadsides, vehicles, road users, and speeds) to identify areas of priority for targeted prevention activity.

Influence of voluntary standards and design modifications on trampoline injury in Victoria, Australia.

Purpose: To examine the influence of the voluntary Australian trampoline standard (AS 4989-2006) and market-driven design modifications on relevant trampoline injuries.

Methods: Trend and intervention analysis on frequencies and proportions of hospital-treated trampoline-related injury in Victoria, Australia, extracted from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset from 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2013. The injuries relevant to the AS were contact with spring and frame, and multiple-user injury.

Pedestrian Injury Outcome as a Function of Vehicle Market Group in Victoria, Australia.

Objective: Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users in terms of their risk of serious injury when involved in a collision with a vehicle. In Australia, around 200 pedestrians are killed in road crashes annually and over 2,000 are seriously injured. The objective of the current study was to analyze pedestrian death and injury risk by body region across 10 light passenger and commercial vehicle market groups in Victoria, Australia.

Evaluation of vehicle side airbag effectiveness in Victoria, Australia.

Side airbag systems were first introduced into vehicles around 1995 to help protect occupants from injury in side impact crashes. International studies have shown that side airbags are effective in reducing the risk of death and injury, however, serious injuries can still occur even when side airbags deploy. The objective of this study was to use detailed injury information from insurance injury compensation claims data linked to Police reported crash data to determine the effectiveness of side airbags in reducing the risk of death or injury for occupants involved in side impact crashes in Victoria, Australia based on the specific body regions that side airbag systems are designed to protect.

The impacts of functional performance, behaviour and traffic exposure on road-crossing judgements of young children.

Using data from i) a simulated road-crossing task, ii) a battery of functional performance assessments, and iii) a survey of parents, some factors that may predict poor road-crossing skill were identified. Children aged between 6 and 10 years made road-crossing decisions in a simulated road environment in which time gap and speed of approaching vehicles were manipulated. Functional performance was examined using a range of tools designed to assess cognitive, perceptual, attentional and executive functioning.