Citation

Waller JA, Lamborn KR. Accid. Anal. Prev. 1975; 7(3): 213-223.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Snowmobilers injured in northern Vermont during the 1971-1972 and 1972-1973 seasons were compared with uninjured snowmobilers from the same communities. Lack of familiarity with the machine or the environment was an important factor in injury events. Among injured adults there was overrepresentation of persons who had been drinking, who have higher horsepower machines which they use at faster speeds, who drive greater highway mileage, and who have an excess of previous snowmobile injuries, highway crashes, and traffic citations. The vehicle itself appeared to contribute to the occurrence or severity of injury in at least half of the events, and there is urgent need to improve upon the stability, lighting, energy attenuation capacity, and other features of the snowmobile. Gross inadequacies of emergency care were identified, including use of alcohol after injury, delay in seeking care and general absence of first aid, including only rare splinting for fractures. Finally, when the injured arrived at the hospital some of them were lectured and berated because their injuries had involved a form of recreation not to the liking of a few members of the hospital staff.