Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
NHTSA is now seeking grant applications for funding CIREN centers (currently 8). See the NHTSA announcement requesting applications at
Ten years ago, and nearly 500,000 crash deaths and 2,500,000 serious crash injuries ago, I helped write a paper presented to the NTSB.
The authors recommended expansion of CIREN centers to all 50 States (not 8 States) as follows:
NTSB could be connected to the existing CIREN centers, and ultimately to an expanded 50-State CIREN, so that it can electronically obtain all cases as they are entered into the CIREN system. This would give NTSB an expanded real-time data collection tool in serious injury highway crashes. Thus, the NTSB could economically become more scientifically involved in medical and engineering investigations of a larger number of serious injury motor vehicle crashes each year. Such an increase would result in a level of NTSB involvement more commensurate with the magnitude of the safety problems posed to the nation by motor vehicle crashes than is possible with current NTSB resources.
As recommended recently by the National Academy of Sciences, in its Report Reducing the Burden of Injury, the need is clear for a federal re-commitment to Trauma Center/System Development in each of the 50 States to save people suffering from serious, time-critical, injuries. Whether the time-critical injuries are the result of crashes or other causes, the timely delivery of emergency care will help save lives and livelihoods. In addition, an advanced trauma care system will also result in saving the lives of people suffering from time-critical illnesses such as strokes and heart attacks and needing rapid and safe emergency medical transport and care [26]. Time is of the essence. But, it’s not just a matter of time before we all have the safety benefits of these new technologies. It’s also a matter of societal urgency that will determine how many avoidable tragedies the nation must experience before the Automatic Lifesaving System is saving lives. Building a safer America is a matter of time, money, public policy, political leadership and most importantly – peoples lives – both those lost and those saved. See http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/studies/acns/champion.htm
Once again, we can, and must, do better caring for crash victims to reduce tragedies. Click Here
