Hospital reporting to STRADA – a vital missing piece?
What happens when crucial information about traffic injuries doesn't reach its destination? During the Covid pandemic, hospital reporting to STRADA dropped dramatically – and in some cases, it still has not recovered. Now, VTI is launching a new research project, funded by Skyltfonden, the Swedish Transport Administration, to understand why reporting has faltered and what can be done to address the issue.
STRADA is Sweden's official traffic injury database, where information is collected from the police and emergency departments to provide a comprehensive picture of traffic accidents resulting in personal injuries. This data is essential for research and for implementing effective traffic safety measures.
During the pandemic, hospital reporting decreased significantly, and some hospitals have yet to return to their previous reporting levels. The project, "How does hospital reporting to STRADA work after the Covid pandemic?", aims to understand the challenges hospital staff face with reporting and why some hospitals succeed while others struggle.
STRADA (Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition) is a central database that compiles information on traffic injuries from police and healthcare services. This information is invaluable for researchers, authorities, and policymakers working to improve traffic safety. Accurate and complete reporting provides better insight into accident patterns and helps develop effective measures to enhance road safety.
The project, which runs from January 2025 to March 2026, is expected to result in recommendations that can improve reporting practices and provide a more solid foundation for future traffic safety work.
