The Silent Epidemic of Road Traffic Injury: What Can Music Therapists do About It?

Can music therapists do anything about road traffic injury and its effects? Road traffic crashes are responsible for up to 1.2 million deaths and up to 50 million injuries globally each year. One quarter of these injuries are traumatic brain injuries. In this paper, the literature related to music therapy and traumatic brain injury is reviewed. By analysing this literature, it becomes apparent that music therapists have provided for those injured almost to the exclusion of those affected by traumatic brain injury, the family, the community and the society. Using literature related to trauma, the author discusses ways in which music therapists may change the scope of music therapy in relation to caring for people affected by road traffic injury and considers the role music therapists may play in the prevention of road traffic injury in the future.