Road traffic fatalities in Victoria, Australia and changes to the trauma care system

Abstract

Background: The aim was to identify organizational and clinical errors in the management of road traffic fatalities and to use this information to improve Victoria's trauma care system. Methods: A multidisciplinary committee evaluated the complete ambulance, hospital and autopsy records of 559 consecutive road traffic fatalities, who were alive on arrival of ambulance services, in five substantial time periods between 1992 and 1998. Patients who survived more than 30 days were excluded. Errors or inadequacies in each phase of management, including those contributing to death, were identified and an assessment was made of the potential preventability of death. Results: Findings between 1992 a..