Consumer Reports Takes Steps to Save Lives

We need and welcome Consumer Reports’ efforts to save lives!

Since the 1950’s I have known that Consumer Reports publishes information that can save you money, time, aggravation and maybe save your life.¹

Now Consumer Reports has a major new initiative to require autos to have Automatic Crash Notification and Informed Emergency Rescue. See CR’s excellent article online.²

NHTSA has known since 1968 of the importance of faster and better emergency care. A Rand report on percentage of U.S. Wounded Dying of Wounds showed that the military had correlated Case Fatality Rates to Average Time to Definitive Surgery. In WW I (1918) it was 8.1 Fatality Rate and 12 – 18 hours. This was steadily reduced such that by the Vietnam War in 1965, the Case Fatality Rate was 1.0 when the Average Time to Definitive Surgery was 1.5 to 2 hours. 

AACN + URGENCY Software has enormous potential for reduction in mortality and morbidity. NHTSA has known since 1994 that we needed to use crash information to improve emergency care of crash victims. A chronological list of NHTSA studies on AACN and URGENCY document the lifesaving potential.³

These studies show the potential of crash information communicated instantly and automatically for prompt dispatch of appropriate medical resources including extrication and 1 hour Medevac.

By the time I retired from NHTSA at the end of 2006, the agency was increasingly under the control of auto companies. Even CDC became corrupted by GM and Toyota money.⁴

The result for too many people on the roads has been tragic.^{5, 6}

Without good governance, the people perish.⁷

NHTSA data shows that since the year 2000, the number of fatalities Not Taken to Hospital (any hospital, not necessarily a Trauma Center) has increased in number to nearly 20,000 each year. And in percent to nearly 56% of all crash fatalities.⁸

We need and welcome Consumer Reports’ efforts to save lives!

References (Live Links to Documents):

1. Top Picks 2023: CR’s Annual Report on Car Performance, Reliability, Satisfaction & Safety
2. Some Automakers Charge Extra for Automatic Crash Notification. These Don’t Make You Pay More for This Lifesaving Feature.
3. URGENCY
4. Rollover Crashes: Cheaper If They Die
5. CDC Triage Guidelines & Rollover Crash Deaths: Tragically 70% are Not Taken for Medical Care
6. Too Many Die without Optimal Care for Crash Victims
7. Emergency Medical Care for Crash Victims
8. Vehicle-related crash deaths: A continuing challenge