2003 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey: Volume 4: Crash Injury and Emergency Medical Services Report

Boyle, John M.; Vanderwolf, Patricia · 2005 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report presents findings from the 2003 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey, specifically focusing on crash injury experiences and emergency medical services (EMS). Conducted by Schulman, Ronca & Bucuvalas, Inc. for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this study is the fifth in a biennial series designed to monitor trends in occupant protection knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The survey aims to provide national estimates on the prevalence of crash injuries, the severity of those injuries, and public perceptions regarding emergency response and assistance. The methodology involved a national telephone survey conducted between January 8, 2003, and March 30, 2003. A total of 12,377 interviews were completed with a randomly selected sample of persons aged 16 and older, including oversamples of younger adults. The survey utilized two distinct questionnaires, each administered to approximately 6,000 respondents, to reduce respondent burden while covering topics such as safety belt use, crash injury history, wireless phone usage, and EMS confidence. Data were weighted to reflect the national population, allowing for valid generalizations and trend analysis from 1994 to 2003. Key findings indicate that 27.4% of the population aged 16 and older reported ever being injured in a motor vehicle crash requiring medical attention. Among those injured, 24% were hospitalized, with individuals not wearing safety belts nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized (32%) compared to those wearing them (17%). Approximately 16% of the total population suffered injuries severe enough to prevent normal activities for at least a week. Regarding emergency response, 43% of respondents expressed no concern about stopping to help at a crash scene, though personal safety and lack of knowledge were primary concerns for others. Wireless phone availability in vehicles continued to rise, and while most respondents would call for help if stopping was dangerous, confidence in emergency workers remained high. The significance of this report lies in its contribution to long-term monitoring of motor vehicle safety trends. The data highlight the critical protective effect of safety belts on hospitalization rates and quantify the substantial burden of crash-related disability on the population. Furthermore, the survey provides insights into public willingness to assist crash victims and the increasing reliance on wireless technology for emergency communication. These findings support NHTSA’s efforts to evaluate occupant protection policies and inform future safety initiatives.

Key finding

Persons not wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash were almost twice as likely to be hospitalized from crash-related injuries as those wearing safety belts.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 12377

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• demographic disparities
• post crash care delays

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes