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Automobile Crash Injury Research In Philadelphia
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was recently designated a member of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN), a multidisciplinary research network which provides The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the auto safety engineering community, and the medical profession with the ability to jointly study real-world cases of serious injuries sustained in car crashes. Each year, there are nearly 42,000 deaths and 3.5 million injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes in the United States. Nearly one-third of crashes involve children, for whom motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and acquired disability for children older than one year. "To the CIREN network, we bring nearly 10 years of experience as a team in conducting epidemiological, engineering and clinical research initiatives focused on understanding the full scope of motor vehicle crash injuries," said Dr. Dennis Durbin M.D., M.S.C.E., co-principal investigator of the CIREN Center at Children's Hospital and a pediatric emergency physician and injury epidemiologist.
"Through our participation in the CIREN network, we aim to translate findings into meaningful advancements in the prevention and treatment of child injuries." Children's Hospital is the only exclusively pediatric-focused research hospital in the network of eight CIREN centers located across the country. As a Level One Pediatric Trauma Center, Children's Hospital has one of the busiest pediatric emergency departments in the country with 71,000 visits each year. Motor vehicle crash injuries are a leading cause for injury-related admission at Children's Hospital accounting for over 50 admissions per year. With family consent, the CIREN team conducts individual investigations into the injuries of car crash victims who come to Children's Hospital for treatment.
"These crash investigations help us monitor how new auto safety technologies are effecting outcomes for children in crashes," says Kristy Arbogast, Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the CIREN Center at Children's Hospital and a biomechanical engineer with expertise in crash investigation-based research. "While we are investigating a broad range of injuries, we are particularly interested in the biomechanics of pediatric abdominal injury - a real problem for children who are restrained in improperly fitting seat belts." Engineering solutions to pediatric abdominal injury would help auto manufacturers design built-in vehicle restraints that are protective for both adults and children. Since 1997, Children's Hospital has been home to the largest study ofchildren in crashes, Partners for Child Passenger Safety, which is conducted in partnership with State Farm. As a CIREN Center, Children's Hospital is ableto further expand its crash investigation and engineering research into the injury mechanisms and engineering solutions to child crash injuries.
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