This report uses police-reported crash data that have been linked to hospital discharge data to evaluate charges for hospital care provided to motor vehicle crash victims in Pennsylvania. Approximately 17,000 crash victims were hospitalised in Pennsylvania in 1994, and approximately $350 million in hospital charges were incurred for these crash victims. Average hospital charges were significantly higher for those not using safety belts, the elderly, alcohol-users and motorists. Adolescents and young adults incurred the largest portion of total hospital charges. (A)
Abstract