Nursing home resident deaths due to road trauma and the potential roles for nursing home providers to promote public safety

Objective: This commentary aimed to determine whether nursing home (NH) providers have a responsibility for the safe mobility of residents outside the facility. Methods: The Safe System approach was applied to NH resident road safety, and fatality crash data involving NH residents were reviewed, to identify potential countermeasures to prevent injurious road crashes for older people living in a NH. Results: Viewing NH resident road safety through the Safe System approach identified actions that NH providers can take to actively contribute to: safe roads/roadsides for residents by better land use, infrastructure and design improvements; ensuring vehicles purchased and used for transporting residents have safety features; safe speed zones within and on nearby streets to NH; and safer road user behaviour through ensuring travel care plans for each resident. Conclusion: Applying the Safe System approach has provided new and innovative insights into how road safety can be improved for NH residents.