Youth Motorcycle-Related Hospitalizations and Traumatic Brain Injuries in the United States in 2006

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to provide national injury and health care cost estimates for youth motorcycle injuries in traffic and nontraffic settings and to focus on the burden of serious motorcycle-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and young adults. METHODS: The 2006 Kids' Inpatient Database is a sample of inpatient discharges for US patients 10 times more likely to die in the hospital than were patients without TBIs. CONCLUSIONS: Motorcycle injuries are a substantial cause of youth injury hospitalizations. The large proportion, costs, and morbidity of TBI diagnoses in youth motorcycle crashes emphasize the need for effective crash prevention and head protection.