Panel Issues Report on Crash Notification Work

A panel convened by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued its final report on the use of automatic crash notification (ACN) system information to predict the severity of vehicle accidents. The CDC is a key agency for the formation of national trauma policy, and with the help of other federal agencies and private companies has created a National Trauma Triage Protocol. The CDC formed a panel to study how OnStar and similar ACN providers might contribute meaningful data to the Protocol, since certain crash severity information for first-responders can be critical in making treatment and transport decisions. In this case, the panel wasn’t definitive, saying only that ACN data “shows promise” in improving patient outcomes and “can improve accuracy” of triage. Essentially, the panel wants more data to study. Read more about the CDC program, the panel and download their report here, and about the Protocol here.