Patterns of head injury among drivers and pillion riders of motorised two-wheeled vehicles in Bangalore

Abstract

Pattern of injuries among pillion riders are not well studied. A limited number of studies do indicate that there is no significant difference in the severity of injuries sustained by pillion riders and drivers. Very few cities in India have mandatory helmet law for pillion riders. The aims of the present study were to study the pattern of head injuries in patients involved in two wheeler accidents and to compare injuries of drivers and pillion riders; drivers with and without helmet. Tw o hundred and four consecutive patients admitted under trauma unit of NIMHANS (102 pairs of drivers and pillion riders) were included in the study from April to mid-June 2009. In the second part, records of 116 patients who died in a two wheeler accident between July 2008 and July 2009 were retrieved from NIMHANS mortuary and retrospectively analysed. There was no significant difference between the GCS scores of drivers and pillion riders ( mild head injury - 60.8% Vs 74.5%, moderate head injury-32.3% Vs 22.5%, severe head injury- 6.9% Vs 2.9%). Both the groups also did not differ significantly with regards to CT scan findings. Only 44 drivers (43.1%) were wearing helmet at the time of injury. The postmortem study revealed that only 10/83 (12%) drivers were wearing helmet at the time of the fatal accident. To conclude, there is no significant difference between the head injuries sustained by the motorized two wheeler drivers and their pillion riders. Helmets must be made mandatory for pillion riders throughout the country.