Healthy Anchorage Indicators (HAI) project is a data-collection project assembling indicators that describe Anchorage’s health and quality of life. Each month, HAI focuses on a different indicator that tells an important story about the state of Anchorage’s health and quality of life. Together, we can use this information to assess our health, identify areas that need attention, and set priorities for our day-to-day lives.

The horrible car collision that took place on Memorial Day weekend, stopping traffic for hours, was a brutal reminder that we all need to drive safely.

Motor vehicle crash is the sixth leading cause of death in Anchorage. It is the first leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24. In 1995 alone, twenty-three people died in motor vehicle crashes in Anchorage, 167 people were hospitalized with major injuries, and 2,282 with minor injuries.¹ They are not nameless faces, but someone’s brother, sister, parent, child, or loved one.

More than half of these deaths involved an alcohol-related crash. In fact, 2 in every 5 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic crash at some time in their lives unless our behavior changes.²

In addition, Alaskans pay a heavy price for motor vehicle crashes. In 1994, motor vehicle crashes cost the state of Alaska $316 million dollars in medical, property loss, productivity, and other costs.³

Linguistically, we tend to refer to motor vehicle crashes as "accidents." This is an unfortunate practice as it reinforces the thought that we are victims of happenstance. This could not be further from the truth. Most traffic crashes are caused by human error and can be prevented.

Things we all can do to prevent crashes and reduce injury are:

• Drive at Safe Speeds: Twenty-one percent of all Alaska traffic crashes are due to drivers driving at unsafe speeds.
• Pay Attention: Driver inattention is responsible for 16% of Alaska traffic crashes. Keep your mind on the road. Don't get distracted.
• Don't Drink & Drive: Protect your friends and loved ones. In 1995, 42% of Alaska's traffic crashes involved an intoxicated driver (0.10+ BAC) or nonoccupant (e.g., pedestrian).⁴ So, on evenings out take turns being the designated driver. And, if you hold a party, be sure to also serve non-alcoholic beverages and watch that groups leave with a designated driver.

• Wear Safety Belts: When used, lap/shoulder safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45%.⁵ Only 67% of Anchorage drivers always use safety belts when they drive.⁶ Nearly two-thirds of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes in 1995 were not wearing safety belts.⁷ In 1995 alone, 9,797 lives in the US were saved by safety belt use.⁸
• NEW! Use Child Restraints Properly: Proper use of Child restraints reduce the chance of fatal injury in motor-vehicle crashes by 69% for infants under one year of age and 47% for chidren between one and four years.⁹ NEW recommendations say to place children under 12 in child restraints in the back seat to protect them from the force of air bags and the impact of a collision.
• Wear a Helmet: Per vehicle mile, motorcyclists were 16 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than a passenger car occupant.¹⁰ In 1995, 43 percent of fatally injured motorcycle operators and 56 percent of fatally injured passengers were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash.¹¹ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that helmets saved the lives of 506 motorcyclists in 1995. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 285 lives could have been saved.¹²
• CRIME CALL—Call *APD: People saving people. If you see a life-threatening situation call 911. But, if you see a non-life-threatening situation, such as a motorist in need of aid or a collision with no injuries or threat of car explosion, call *APD to report it. Visit their web site on the Internet at http://www.muni.org/apd or call 273-8543 for information about guided tours and call-in training.

Some current initiatives in Anchorage to prevent motor vehicle crash injury and death are described below.

• House Bill No. 11 by Representative Joe Green: This bill calls for a graduated license. New drivers under 18 years of age would be issued an instructional permit and a provisional license before receiving a standard driver’s license. A person licensed under these two licenses could have their license suspended, revoked, or denied if they accumulate six or more points within a 12-month period. A provisional license has been effective in other states in reducing the incidence of injury. It provides teenagers time to strengthen driving skills and demonstrate responsibility before a permanent license is issued. Anchorage residents can leave a Public Opinion Message (POM) regarding the bill with the Anchorage Legislative Office at 258-8111.
• House Bill No. 40 by Representative Kim Elton: This bill would lower the legal amount of alcohol in a person’s blood to drive a motor vehicle, from .10 percent or more by weight of alcohol in the person’s blood to .08 percent. Alcohol is a major causal factor in severe traffic crashes. Most European countries have decreased their limits to at least 0.08 BAC and already nineteen US states have done so as well. Anchorage residents can leave a Public Opinion Message (POM) regarding the bill with the Anchorage Legislative Office at 258-8111.
• Anchorage Safe Communities Coalition: This coalition of government, business, health care, and community groups is working to reduce the incidence of severe injury in Anchorage. The strength of the coalition comes from the diversity of its members. The coalition seeks to identify, prioritize, and reduce the environmental and behavioral risk factors that underlie injury in Anchorage. For example, the Coalition is working with the State Injury Coalition to produce and distribute a Parent’s Rights Package that will include information to help parents prevent injury to their loved ones. Interested parties can call Tricia Lillibridge, the Anchorage Safe Communities Coordinator at 261-5018 for information.
• Safe Kids Alaska: Safe Kids Alaska is trying to organize new car dealers to provide training in the proper use of child restraint seats with the purchase of a new car. Anyone interested in participating in the program can call Peggy Hayashi at 261-3194 for information.
• Day Care & Pre-Schools: Many Day Care & Pre-schools are promoting the proper use of child restraint seats by displaying posters as gentle reminders.

• Healthy Anchorage Indicators, MOA, Dept. Health and Human Services
  Healthy Anchorage Indicators Web Site: http://www.ak.org/hai/hai.htm
• Center for the Advanced Study of Public Safety & Injury Prevention
  Includes an electronic library of publications, journals, and articles
  http://www.albany.edu/sph/injury_3.html
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/