Race, Hispanic Origin, and Socioeconomic Status: Motor Vehicle Occupant Death Rates and Risk Factors Among Adults

1. Race, Hispanic Origin, and Socioeconomic Status: Motor Vehicle Occupant Death Rates and Risk Factors Among Adults Elisa R. Braver, Ph.D

2. Background: Previous Research on Race/Hispanic Origin and Motor Vehicle Deaths • Conflicting data – some studies found higher risk, some did not • Most studies did not consider extent of exposure to vehicle travel • One study: observed large increase in death rates per vehicle-mile of travel among black and Hispanic male teenagers in U.S. (Baker et al., 1998)

3. Objectives of Study • Are black, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic-status (SES) adults in U.S. at higher risk of dying in motor vehicle crashes when they travel in vehicles? • If there is an excess risk among blacks and Hispanics, is it due to average lower SES? • Are risk factors for occupant deaths more common among adults who are black, Hispanic, or of lower SES?

4. Data Sources • 1995 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (census of fatal crashes in U.S.) linked with death certificate data • 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (telephone sample of national travel patterns)

5. Methods • Education was SES indicator • Less than high school • High school only • Greater than high school • Racial/ethnic categories • Non-Hispanic white • Non-Hispanic black • Hispanic • Ages 25-64 • Passenger vehicle occupant death rates calculated per vehicle trip • Risk factors among fatally injured drivers compared by: • Race/Hispanic origin • Gender • SES

6. 1995 Passenger Vehicle Occupant Deaths per 10 Million Trips by Race/Hispanic Origin and SESFor Both Genders, Ages 25-64 < high school high school > high school white black Hispanic Race/Hispanic Origin Education Level

7. 1995 Passenger Vehicle Occupant Deaths per 10 Million Trips by SES and Race/Hispanic OriginMen,Ages 25-64

8. Risk Factors Belts • Non-use common among all drivers killed in crashes • Less use among low-SES drivers killed in crashes (men’s use rates: 19% if had no high school degree, 42% if had education beyond high school) • Blacks: lower use rates than whites if they had at least a high school degree (men with education past high school: 36% if black; 42% if white) • Hispanics: use rates  whites with same education

9. Risk Factors Alcohol • Alcohol-impaired driving common among all male drivers killed in crashes • More common among low-SES drivers killed in crashes (men: 60% if had no high school degree, 40% if had education beyond high school) • Hispanic men: non-significant increases within same SES groups (high school degree only: 61% if Hispanic, 56% if white) • Black men: non-significant decreases if had at least a high school degree (high school degree only: 52% if black)

10. Conclusions • Socioeconomic status: strongest determinant of occupant mortality risk per trip • Blacks, especially black men, and Hispanic men had higher overall occupant death rates per trip than whites • SES explained higher risk of Hispanic men, partly explained it among blacks. Higher SES less protective among blacks • Non-use of belts and alcohol-impaired driving explains some but not all of the excess risk observed among blacks, Hispanics, low SES adults.

11. Public Health Implications Need • Public knowledge of belt and alcohol laws, perception that laws will be enforced • Enforcement that is impartial and community-wide; should include community organizations in planning of programs • Stronger belt laws • More effective enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving laws (sobriety checkpoints are underused)

12. www.highwaysafety.org(703) 247-1500ebraver@iihs.org For more information:

13. White Black Hispanic 1995 Passenger Vehicle Occupant Deaths per 10 Million Trips by SES, Gender, and Race/Hispanic OriginAges 25-54 Men Women