Citation

Huelke DF, Gikas PW, Tupper CJ. Proc. Am. Assoc. Automot. Med. Annu. Conf. 1962; 6: 73-75.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1962, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The physicians of America are increasingly aware of the automobile accident and its associated problems as a growing and major health hazard. Many physicians have learned this through clinical experience, and more recently through exposure to an increasing number of articles on the various clinical aspects of automobile accidents as they have appeared in the medical literature. However, even with the emphasis on autombile safety education of the practicing physician, not all realize their individual responsibility toward this area, or identify it clearly in their own minds as a primary health hazard.

In the modern medical curriculum, students are exposed to many of the details involved in the effective practice of preventive medicine as applied to the individual patient. These range from an understanding of immunization, through the role of community health measures, to the periodic health appraisal examination. In general, however, medical students do not learn that automobile accidents fall into their interest in the welfare of their patients. It seems important that the medical student should learn that automobile accidents are the leading cause of death of individuals between 1 and 34 years of age. Similarly, he should learn what preventive medicine measures may be applicable to this specific area of health hazard. It is clearly a significant health hazard when 38,000 people die in motor vehicle accidents each year.