A new type of two-wheeled motor vehicle was introduced in Denmark in 1994. This "scooter-45" has become very popular and is sold in large numbers. The aim of this study was to examine the consequences of the introduction of the scooter-45 in the number of road traffic injuries. All patients treated at the Odense University Hospital during 1996 to 2000 following road traffic accidents with two-wheeled motor vehicles were included in this study. Injuries were graded according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale. A significant rise in the annual incidence rate for traffic injuries was observed in the study period for both mopeds and scooter-45s (p less than .05). For both scooter-45s and motorcycles, the highest incidence rate of road traffic accidents was observed in the age group of 20 to 29 years. For mopeds, the highest incidence rate was seen in the age group of 10 to 19 years. We found an increase in the annual incidence rate of injuries following road traffic accidents with mopeds and scooter-45s. Single accidents were the most common accidents. (Author/publisher).
Abstract