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Impact of North Carolina’s Motorcycle Helmet Law on Hospital Admissions and Charges for Care of Traumatic Brain Injury
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4-2015
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Source: N C Med J. 76(2):70-75
[PDF-63.59 KB]
Details:
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Alternative Title:N C Med J
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Description:Background:
North Carolina (NC) requires motorcyclists of all ages to wear federally-approved safety helmets. The purpose of this paper was to estimate the impact of this state law in terms of hospital admissions for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and associated hospital charges.
Methods:
Hospital admissions of NC motorcyclists with TBIs and associated hospital charges in 2011 were extracted from the NC Hospital Discharge Data system. Projected hospital admissions and charges for the same year, under the counterfactual condition of NC without a universal motorcycle helmet law, were estimated using various substitutes (Florida, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina residents treated in NC).
Results:
NC’s universal helmet law prevented at least 190 hospital admissions of NC motorcyclists with TBI in 2011. Averted hospital charges involving taxpayer-funded sources (i.e., government and public charges) were at least $9.5 million for 2011, and total averted hospital charges for 2011 were at least $25.3 million.
Limitations:
Cost estimates are limited to inpatients during the initial period of hospital care. This study was unable to capture long-term healthcare costs and productivity losses involving NC TBI patients and their caregivers.
Conclusions:
NC’s universal motorcycle helmet law generates health and economic benefits for the state and its taxpayers.
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Source:
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Pubmed ID:25856346
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC8088338
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Funding:
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Volume:76
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Issue:2
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