Considering motor vehicle injuries in the context of other preventable causes of death and disease helps make motor vehicle injury a salient issue in public health and preventive medicine. Framing the motor vehicle injury problem as a predictable and preventable public health problem offers health practitioners a tool to persuade the public and policy makers alike that this is an unrecognized health problem that is amenable to change. Public health's long history in advocacy for milk pasteurization, chlorination of drinking water, and other environmental safeguards can be extended to building safer roads and vehicles. The promotion of lifestyle change to reduce smoking, heart disease, and cancer prevention, can have the same appeal for changing the safety behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Stimulating a culture of safety means providing safe and accessible transportation for all as a means to improve the overall quality of life for populations.
Abstract