Comparison of the data elements for traffic accident information management system in Iran with America and Europe standards

Background: Prevention of traffic accidents requires the exact understanding of the risk factors. Analysis of these factors requires the collection of authentic and standard data. The aim of this study was to compare the data elements of traffic accidents related to the police, the pre-hospital and hospital care in Iran with Europe and America standards.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in 2014. Data resources for Iran included data base and forms in police office, traffic accident information management system in hospital and forms in medical emergency centers. Standards for data elements in America (MMUCC) and Europe (CADaS) were retrieved from the internet. Data elements from aforementioned resources were merged together and a complete list of them were
listed in the tables. Then, comparison of the data elements was performed and final results were displayed in the descriptive tables.
Results: Results showed that defined levels of non-fatal injury, type and expiration date of insurance, driver’s physical conditions, previous conviction and history of traffic offenses for police data elements, classification and rating for the injury severity of pre-hospital care and assessment of the injury severity, the time and cost of rehabilitation for the hospitals in
Iran were not existing. Also, vision obstacles, repairing road and technical inspection were data elements existing only for Iran.

Conclusions: Prevention of traffic accidents requires access to standard data.   Standardization of data for traffic accidents are the key elements for analysis and  comparison on a global level. Traffic accident information system in Iran lacks some of the
major data elements. Therefore, it is essential that these data elements be considered.