Safety belt use and hospital charge differences among motor vehicle crash victims.

Trauma remains a leading cause of death and disability in America, and motor vehicle crashes (MVC) are the most common cause of serious injury in West Virginia. In this study, we examined the role of seat belt use or non-use in the death, disability, and hospital charges of 500 patients admitted after MVC to a rural Level 1 trauma center in 1990. Eighty percent of the patients who required hospitalization did not use seat belts. The unbelted patients had a 34% higher injury severity score, a 97% increase in the need for extended care after discharge from the hospital, and a 186% increase in hospital charges compared to belted patients. Our study concluded that seat belt use among motor vehicle crash victims reduced their hospital costs, and improved their outcome as compared to those patients not wearing seatbelts.