Pattern Of Road Traffic Injuries Research Articles

Pattern of Road Traffic Injuries and Their Pre-hospitalization Factors Reported at a Public Tertiary Healthcare Facility and Rural Private Healthcare Facility in Rajasthan, India.

We aimed to report the pattern of road traffic injuries (RTIs) and pre-hospitalization factors of road traffic injuries among the accident victims reported at an urban and arural healthcare facility in the Jaipur district, Rajasthan. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary-level, urban public healthcare facility in Jaipur city and a secondary-level, rural private facility in nearby Chomu town. The study participants were all those who encountered road traffic injury and visited any of these healthcare facilities to seek care. The study tool included information on demographics, type of road user, vehicles, accidents, roads, environment, and other pre-hospitalization factors. Data collectors were nurses trained to collect data using the tablet-based application. Data were analyzed using proportions/percentages. Bivariate analysis was done to assess the significance of differences between categories of factors and between rural and urban facilities. Among 4,642 cases, 93.8% were enrolled in the urban facility, and the remaining were enrolled in the rural facility. Predominantly, males (83.9%) and young adults 18-34 years (58.9%) were reported in both study facilities. Among the accident victims reported at the urban facility, major groups were educated up to the primary level (25.1%) or graduate level (21.9%). About 60% of them were drivers. Most of these injuries occurred on urban roads (50.2%) or two-lane roads (42%). About three-fourths of the injured were using two-wheeler geared vehicles, and 46.7% were overtaking or turning the vehicle when the accident happened. The majority of cases (61.6%) did not require hospitalization. Among the rural facility participants, 27.2% were graduates, and 24.7% were below primary education. Most of these injuries happened on the national highway (35.8%) or rural roads (33.3%). Most of them used two-wheeler geared (80.1%) at the time of the accident. Most were injured while doing normal straight driving (80.5%). Most participants (80.1%)in the rural facility did not follow the traffic rules, and 43.9% required hospitalization. Young males were the most affected age group by road traffic injuries. Differential patterns of road traffic injuries and pre-hospital factors were observed in urban and rural areas.

Characteristics, reasons and patterns of Road Traffic Injuries presenting in emergency department of a tertiary care public hospital in Karachi.

Objectives:To determine the main characteristics, reasons and patterns of road traffic injuries (RTIs) in a tertiary care public hospital of Karachi.Methods:It was a hospital based cross sectional study conducted in a public tertiary care hospital emergency department with a sample size 425 selected conveniently. Participants included the consenting victims or caretaking attendants of road traffic injuries (RTIs) from 25th May to 28th June in 2019. A structured questionnaire was developed after literature review and was translated into “Urdu” language. The questionnaire collected detailed information on socio-demographic characteristics, possible reasons of RTI’s such as condition of vehicle, over speeding and breaking traffic rules. Data was analyzed by using software SPSS version 20.Results:Almost half of RTI victims (43.1%) belonged to the age group 18-29. Majority of the victims were males (86.6%). The most common vehicle involved was motorbike (87.50%) followed by Rickshaw (6.8%) and Car (2.4%). Majority of RTIs occurred on main road (75.30%). The most common sites of injuries were lower limb (64%), upper limb (37.60%) and head (32.2%). The severe injuries were significantly more likely to happen in events in which direct collision with other vehicle/thing was involved, road conditions were wet and pedestrian were crossing the road.Conclusion:Motorbikes were involved in majority of RTIs. Main reasons of RTIs included irresponsible road behaviors including over-speeding, careless road crossing, breaking the signal and riding on wet roads which lead to moderate to severe injuries in almost two thirds of participants

Pattern of road traffic injuries among individuals attending a rural health training center in Tamil Nadu

Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a leading public health problem. Approximately 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes as of June 2021. RTIs cause considerable economic losses to individuals, their families, and to nations as a whole. 93% of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low-and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the pattern of RTIs among individuals attending a rural health training center in Tamil Nadu.Methods: The present study was a record based cross sectional study comprising of 113 patients who attended an outpatient department in rural health training center in Tamil Nadu from January 2021 to June 2021.We collected socio-demographic data (age and sex) and pattern of injuries from the database. We entered data in excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0.Results: Mean (±SD) age of the patients was 34.2(±18.46) years. Most common pattern of injury was abrasion 98 (86.7%), followed by contusion 28 (24.8%) and laceration 14 (12.4%) respectively. Most RTIs required dressing 106 (93.8%) while 13 (11.5%) needed suturing.Conclusions: The present study showed that RTIs were more common in the younger male population. Abrasion was the most common type of injury reported.

Pattern of road traffic injuries in the Rethymnon region, Crete, Greece: a secondary hospital-based study.

Despite the significant progress that has been made during the last decade, Greece still faces the effects of road traffic accidents (RTAs) to a great extent every year. This study represents an epidemiological approach to road traffic injuries (RTIs) presenting to a secondary hospital in a geographical area with very low-quality road network; it aims to indicate possible preventive measures and actions. The present study was conducted in Rethymnon General Hospital between January 2018 and February 2020. Data from all trauma patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) after RTAs were retrospectively collected from patient medical records. The severity of injury sustained by road traffic victims was graded using the Injury Severity Score (ISS). During the study period, 1582 trauma patients presented to the ED after RTAs. There were 1079 men and 503 women and the median age was 30 years. In total, 818 motorcycle-related injuries (51.7%), 497 automobile-related injuries (31.4%), 165 bicycle-related injuries (10.4%) and 102 pedestrian injuries (6.4%) were documented. Of the 1582 trauma patients, 58.2% (921) presented with injuries to the extremities, 35.3% (554) presented with thoracic injuries, 34.4% (541) presented with head injuries, 30% (475) presented with spinal column injuries, 17.4% (271) presented with facial injuries, 12.9% (203) presented with abdominal injuries and 10.3% (162) presented with pelvic injuries. A significant increase in the number of incidents was noticed during the tourist season. Median ISS was 2 (IQR=4). 53.7% of patients who were transferred to the hospital by ambulance had an ISS≤4. In 41 cases, transportation to a tertiary hospital was necessary, six patients had emergency operations and 13 others died in the ED. The median length of hospital stay was 3 (IQR=6) days. Actions that could possibly mitigate the burden of RTIs in the district of Rethymnon include upgrading the level of law enforcement, implementing educational strategies and information campaigns against inappropriate ambulance use, encouraging facilities to develop trauma registries and ensuring adequate hospital staffing.

Characteristics and Injury Patterns of Road Traffic Injuries in Urban and Rural Uganda—A Retrospective Medical Record Review Study in Two Hospitals

In the ongoing Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, road traffic crashes pose a considerable threat especially in low-income countries. Uganda shows a vast burden of non-fatal injuries and resides at the top range of countries with the highest death rates due to unsafe roads. However, little is known about the differences in road traffic associated injuries between urban and rural areas and potential influence factors. Here, we used a cross-sectional study conducted by a retrospective medical record review from trauma cases admitted in 2016 to hospitals in rural and urban areas in Uganda. Injury severity scores were calculated and descriptive analysis was carried out while multivariate logistic regression was applied to assess significant covariates. According to the 1683 medical records reviewed, the mean age of trauma patients in the dataset under investigation was 30.8 years with 74% male. The trauma in-hospital mortality was 4% while prevalence of traumatic injuries is 56.4%. Motorcycle users (49.6%) and pedestrians (33.7%) were identified as the most vulnerable groups in both urban and rural setting while mild injuries of extremities (61.6%) and the head/neck-region (42.0%) were registered most. The frequency of road traffic injuries was homogenous in the urban and rural hospitals investigated in this study; interventions should therefore be intensified ubiquitously. The identification of significant differences in road traffic crash and injury characteristics provides the opportunity for specific programmes to decrease the socio-economic and health burden of unsafe roads. In addition to law enforcement and introduction of a Systems Thinking approach to road safety including infrastructural and educational concepts, the strengthening of trauma care and health resources is recommended.

Pattern of road traffic Accident and their consequences in Dhaka City

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are one of the eight burning public health issues worldwide causing 1.3 million death every year. This study aimed to see the pattern of road traffic injuries, their consequences, and factors associated within Dhaka city. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Road Traffic Accident victims attended in three largest and tertiary care hospitals located inside the Dhaka metropolitan area through structured interviews between 25 January and 21 February 2017 with a sample size of 140. The majority of injured patients were between 18-37 years. More than 55% of injuries were severe, and intracranial injury (27.1%) was the most common type. T-junction (32.1%) and highways (31.4%) were most places for RTAs where half of the total victims were passengers. Our study indicates age, gender, and educational status were significantly associated with consequences of RTAs (p<0.05). Moreover, among the RTAs related variables, type of vehicle, RTA type, injury place, and treatment approach found significantly associated with consequences of RTAs (P<0.05). The findings of this study could play an important role to build awareness on RTAs among policymakers and general peoples to reduce mortality due to RTIs.

Incidence and pattern of road traffic injuries in tribal population of Jharkhand: One-year study in a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Background and Aim:Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This study aimed to assess the incidence and pattern of RTIs in the tribal population of Jharkhand.Methods and Materials:This prospective observational study was conducted for a period of 1 year (June 2018 to May 2019) at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered. A total of 1713 road traffic accident (RTA) victims belonging to tribal population were interviewed during the study period. Data were entered in a Microsoft Excel sheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.Results:There were 1258 (73.4%) males and 455 (26.6%) females. The majority (31.4%) of patients belonged to the age group of 21–30 years, followed by 19.2% in the age group of 31–40 years. The majority (52.13%) of RTAs involved a two-wheeler vehicle. Head injury was the most common type of injury (40.86%), followed by lower limb injury (26.68%). Common upper limb injuries were in the humerus and radius and ulna region. The majority of lower limb injuries involved tibia and femur. Common thoracic-abdomen injuries were soft tissue injury and lung contusion. Drunk driving (alcohol influence) was seen in 34.68% of cases of RTI.Conclusions:RTA is a major public health problem which needs to accelerate the efforts of road safety preventive measures. Road safety education should be promoted.

Pattern of road tra!c injuries and disability burden among accident victims

Worldwide road traffic injuries cause more than 1.2 million deaths every year and alarming rise has been observed in road accidents in Bangladesh over the past few years. A cross- sectional study was carried out from January to December 2017 to determine the pattern of road traffic injuries with disability burden among accident victims. 190 respondents were selected from Center for the rehabilitation of the paralyzed (CRP) at Savar and Mirpur in Dhaka by purposive sampling. Data was collected by face to face interview by using semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire. A large number of accident victims in this study were male (79.5%), Muslim (93.2%), married (85.3%) with middle age group (35.8%). Most of the accident victims came from rural area (62.6%) and place of most accident occurred in subway (73.1%). Highest number of accident occurred by motorized two wheels (47.3%). Fracture (48.9%) were most common types of injury among accident victims and affected part were most commonly the extremities (32.9%) and injury category were maximum injury (38.9%). Years of life lived with disability was highest in spinal cord injury (172.36). Among those who were in middle age group, suffered longer than other injury with years of life lived with disability. It found people who were injured from motorized two wheels had suffered longer years lived with disabilities of life than other types of vehicle injury(82.02).The result indicates the pattern of injuries and accident victims who were lived with disability for long time.
 Bangladesh Med J. 2018 Jan; 47 (1): 28-32

An Epidemiological Study of Traumas Caused by Motorcycle Crashes in Shahid Rajaee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran in 2013 - 2016

Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are one of the main causes of death and disability throughout the world. In this regard, motorcyclists constitute the most vulnerable groups. By investigating the epidemiological characteristics of motorcycle crashes, we can attain valuable information about research priorities. Objectives: We decided to conduct this study aiming at determining the epidemiological pattern of RTIs among motorcyclists in Shiraz in 2013 - 2016. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we reviewed all information related to motorcycle crashes that took place in Shiraz from January 2013 to December 2016. The injured motorcyclists were classified according to their age, gender, the severity of the injury, injured region, length of hospital stay, hospital-acquired infections, and the outcomes. We also performed a logistic regression analysis to determine the risk factors for fatality in motorcycle crashes. Results: According to our results, from all motorcycle crashes, 13577 (91.5%) were related to men and 1258 (8.5%) to women. Furthermore, most injured motorcyclists were in the 15 - 29-year-old age group. Crashes mostly occurred on weekends and in warm seasons. A hospital stay of more than one month (OR = 4.93, CI: 2.32 - 10.46) and an ISS of 9 - 15 (OR = 7.56, CI: 3.68 - 15.56) were the most effective risk factors for motorcyclist fatality. Conclusions: According to the study, since most motorcycle crashes involved the youth, enforcing stricter laws and cultural developments towards correcting risky behaviors can be very important in reducing the rates of death and disability.

Extending classic Haddon’s matrix for road safety promotion: toward better applicability

Background: Various models have been used to portray the causal pattern of Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs). Of which one most frequently used is the Haddon’s matrix proposed in 1970. The aim of this study was to improve applicability of this model through extending for road safety promotion. Methods: Required data gathered from 57 articles on influencing factors in RTIs and analyzed using Content- Analysis method by using the Haddon’s matrix. Six national expert’s opinions were applied in extension of model. Results: Initially 467 factors were extracted. After removing the duplicates and merging the similar factors, finally 76 factors remained. The pre-event phase had the most factors (N=41). Of the columns, the Vehicle and equipment had the most factors (N=26). According to extracted factors and experts opinion columns extended to 7 categories (human, environmental, vehicle and equipment, road, socio-economic, structure and organizational, mixed). Rows extended to two categories included: pre-event (long term and short term) and post-event (crash scene, transfer, care delivery). Conclusion: In this study the results of the studies on influencing factors in RTIs and the experts’ opinions were used to develop an expanded model of Haddon’s Matrix which is specific to traffic accidents. Future studies might investigate the effectiveness of this expanded model.

Road traffic injury Epidemiology

About 25% of all fatal injuries or 1.35 million deaths on the world’s roads are due to road traffic injuries (RTIs). For every road traffic fatality, at least 20 people sustain non-fatal injuries. Deaths from RTIs has been increased from 2015 to 2018 global report. Distribution of these deaths varies by epidemiological patterns. For instance, the global road traffic fatality rate is 18 per 100 000 population, however, 20.1 in middle-income countries while 8.7 in high-income ones. About 80% of road traffic deaths occur in middle-income countries, with 72% of the world’s population, and only 52% of the world’s registered vehicles. Road traffic crashes cost countries up to 4-8% of their Gross National Product (it is 4.46% in Iran). The patterns of RTIs vary in different countries and regions. For example, 38% of all African road traffic deaths occur among pedestrians, while 36% of road traffic deaths in the Western Pacific Region are among motorcyclists. Pedestrians are the largest group of vulnerable road users in most countries. Close to 40% of all pedestrians killed belong to the age group 65+. Inappropriate behaviour of road users, such as excessive and inappropriate speed, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and the non-use of safety equipment such as seat belts and crash helmets, remain important contributory factors in fatal crashes and for injuries. Almost 60% of RTI deaths are among 15–44 year olds. Common Risk factors on RTIs include factors influencing; exposure to risk (e.g. rapid motorization, increased need for travel and choice of less safe forms of travel), crash involvement (e.g. Driver fatigue, speeding, inadequate visibility), injury severity (e.g. non-use of crash helmets and seatbelts), and post-crash injury outcome (pre-hospital and hospital care factors). Deaths from RTIs are one of the top causes of deaths in Iran and are higher than the region and world rates. The pace of legislative change is too slow. Countries need to increase adoption of comprehensive legislation relating to key risk factors for road traffic injuries. There are minimum elements needed in national laws related to the key risk factors (speed, drink–driving, motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints), and these should be rolled out in all countries. In addition, experience from high-performing countries has demonstrated that a continual process of legislative review to further strengthen laws can lead to additional benefits. Education is a key component of road safety and five key interventions including control of speeding, drinking and driving, seatbelt use, helmet use and child Restraint use should be addressed to reduce a significant amount of RTIs. Crude experiences, trial and error could not be effective and cost effective for reducing RTIs. Having valid and reliable data, good domestic research and evidence-based decision making are essential approaches for preventing of fatal RTI particularly in low and middle income countries.

Using matrix frame to present road traffic injury pattern

BackgroundAlthough many epidemiological studies have presented road traffic injuries (RTIs) according to the victim’s mode of transport, very few have mentioned the mode of transport of the victim’s counterparts. We sought to use matrix frame to present the pattern of RTIs based on the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes.MethodsPatients admitted to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Taiwan, for RTIs from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016 were included. The numbers and proportions of various crash types of RTIs were presented using a matrix frame. The row margin of the matrix is the second character of ICD-10 codes V00–V79 (victim’s mode of transport), and the column margin of the matrix is the third character of ICD-10 codes V00–V79 (mode of transport of victim’s counterpart), constituting a 80-cell grid.ResultsIn total, 2727 patients were included. The cell with the highest proportion in the matrix grid was ICD-10 code V23 “motorcycle rider injured in collision with car, pick-up truck or van” (27.0%, 737/2727), followed by that of V27 “motorcycle rider injured in collision with fixed or stationary object” (12.5%, 342/2727) and V28 “motorcycle rider injured in noncollision transport accident” (12.2%, 334/2727). The matrix pattern of RTIs differed with sex and age.ConclusionsBy using the matrix frame, we can easily understand the RTI pattern for different demographic groups and identify the priority crash types.

Pattern of road traffic injuries in Yemen: a hospital-based study.

IntroductionRoad traffic injuries (RTIs) are the eighth leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death for young people. This study aimed to present time-limited trial surveillance in two referral hospitals to describe the pattern of RTIs in Sana'a, Yemen and determine road traffic crashes (RTCs) associated factors.MethodsAll RTIs presented to Emergency Departments (ED) of the two Sanaa city hospitals between August and October, 2015 were studied and described. Data were collected everyday by trained data collectors. A pretested questionnaire modified from WHO injury surveillance form was used for data collection.ResultsA total of 156 casualties from 128 RTCs had attended the two study hospitals during the study period. About 73% of victims were less than 30 years old. Only 13% of casualties were transported by ambulance. None of the victims wore the seat belt in case of 4-wheeled vehicles' users nor the helmet in case of 2-wheeled vehicles' users. Poor driving skills were involved in 133 (85%) casualties. Factors related to the vehicles contributed to 12% of RTCs. Of the 156 casualties, 17% had severe injuries and needed ICU admission. After 48 hours of the accident, 38% of patients ended with disability due to fractured limbs, 29% were not improving and their conditions were deteriorating, 18% had recovered and 5% died.ConclusionSeveral personal, behavioral, environmental and vehicles related factors had contributed to RTIs in Yemen. The burden of RTIs in Yemen in terms of disability and mortality is high.

Pattern of Road Traffic Injuries in Rural Bangladesh: Burden Estimates and Risk Factors.

Globally, road traffic injury (RTI) causes 1.3 million deaths annually. Almost 90% of all RTI deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. RTI is one of the leading causes of death in Bangladesh; the World Health Organization estimated that it kills over 21,000 people in the country annually. This study describes the current magnitude and risk factors of RTI for different age groups in rural Bangladesh. A household census was carried out in 51 unions of seven sub-districts situated in the north and central part of Bangladesh between June and November 2013, covering 1.2 million individuals. Trained data collectors collected information on fatal and nonfatal RTI events through face-to-face interviews using a set of structured pre-tested questionnaires. The recall periods for fatal and non-fatal RTI were one year and six months, respectively. The mortality and morbidity rates due to RTI were 6.8/100,000 population/year and 889/100,000 populations/six months, respectively. RTI mortality and morbidity rates were significantly higher among males compared to females. Deaths and morbidities due to RTI were highest among those in the 25–64 years age group. A higher proportion of morbidity occurred among vehicle passengers (34%) and pedestrians (18%), and more than one-third of the RTI mortality occurred among pedestrians. Twenty percent of all nonfatal RTIs were classified as severe injuries. RTI is a major public health issue in rural Bangladesh. Immediate attention is needed to reduce preventable deaths and morbidities in rural Bangladesh.

Epidemiology of Road Traffic Injuries in Iran: Based on the Data from Disaster Management Information System (DMIS) Of the Iranian Red Crescent

Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are the leading cause of injuries and the second cause of mortality in Iran. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological pattern of RTIs in Iran based on the data from disaster management information system (DMIS) of the Iranian Red Crescent. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the pattern of RTIs in Iran was studied based on the data from DMIS in the period from 20 March 2012 to 19 February 2016 (35 months). All of the 78775 RTIs recorded were selected through census. Data analysis was done using the SPSS.16 software package. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among the 19 types of accidents whose data are recorded, road traffic accidents with a 78775 number of occurrence (136.1 ± 86.5 per 100000 people), 186860 injuries (332.1 ± 220 per 100000 people) and 12596 deaths (22.6 ± 11.1 per 100000 people) were the highest in ranking. The most common annunciator of the accidents was the emergency. Receiving the first report of the rescue operation was most done by telephone. The mean number of the operational forces involved in RTIs per 100000 people was 529.2 ± 407. The results showed that there was a significant difference between high, moderate and low population rate provinces in the mean number of injuries cases, the mortality of RTIs and the total number of Red Crescent operational forces (P Conclusions: Considering the high occurrence of the mortality and the injuries of the RTIs compared to that of the other types of accidents, more attention to RTIs in planning and interventions seems necessary. Keywords: Road Traffic; Injuries; Accidents; Epidemiological Mortality Language: en

Temporal Patterns of Road Traffic Injuries in Iran.

BackgroundRoad traffic injuries (RTIs) are the main causes of death and disability in Iran. However, very few studies about the temporal variations of RTIs have been published to date.ObjectivesThis study was conducted to investigate the temporal pattern of RTIs in Iran in 2012.Materials and MethodsAll road traffic accidents (RTAs) reported to traffic police during a one-year period (March 21, 2012 through March 21, 2013) were investigated after obtaining permission from the law enforcement force of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Distributions of RTAs were obtained for season, month, week, and hour scales, and for long holidays (more than one day) and the day prior to long holidays (DPLH). The final analysis was carried out using the Poisson regression model to calculate incidence rate ratios for RTIs. All analyses were conducted using STATA 13.1 and Excel software; statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsA total of 452,192 RTAs were examined. The estimated rate of all accidents was 219 per 10,000 registered vehicles, or 595 per 100,000 people. About 28% of all RTAs, and more than one third of fatal RTAs, occurred during the summer months. The incidence rate for all traffic accidents on DPLH was 1.20, compared to workdays as a reference category, and it was 1.40 for fatal crashes. The rate of fatal road traffic accidents in outer cities was 3.2 times higher than in inner ones.ConclusionsOur findings reveal that there are temporal variations in traffic accidents, and long holidays significantly influence accident rates. Traffic injuries have different patterns on outer/inner city roads, based on weekday and holiday status. Thus, these findings could be used to create effective initiatives aimed at traffic management.

Epidemiological Pattern of Road Traffic Injuries among Occupants’ Vehicles in 2012

There has been no precise information regarding occupants’ status and their portion in traffic accident. By using traffic police information, epidemiological pattern of road traffic injuries among occupants’ vehicles was analyzed in 2012. It was a cross sectional study. In this study, traffic police registered data in 2012 were used. Subjects were all occupants who had accident record in 2012 (81585: 77841 injured and 3744 death). Before analyzing, various preparatory steps including data control and merging were done after which data were processed. Findings showed that the mean age of the studied population was 28.7 ± 15.11 years. The highest percentage of accident occurred among car and motorcycle occupants respectively. The risk of death among the injured aged 30 - 59 years and 60+ were 1.20 and 2.23 times more than 30 years (as reference) respectively (p < 0.001). Risk of death among the injured in high ways, main roads and rural roads was 2.84 times more than in urban roads (p < 0.001). The risk of death among the injured was 2 times higher in high ways, main roads and rural secondary roads than streets (p < 0.001). Hence car and motorcycle occupants need urgent attention especially in motorways and high ways, main roads and rural secondary.

Epidemiology of Fatal Traffic Injuries Registered in East Azerbaijan and Fars Forensic Medicine Organizations: The Research Protocol

Purpose: Iran’s statistics confirmed the number of road traffic injuries (RTIs) fatalities per 10,000 motor vehicles more than four times the global average. Accounting for the leading cause of death in people under the age of fifty, fatal road traffic injuries should be of a particular concern and a research priority in Iran. Assessing the epidemiological pattern of RTIs plays a critical role in the road traffic safety promotion. Methods: The current paper aims to report a thorough research protocol on describing the methodology of a large research project on epidemiology of fatal traffic injuries in East Azerbaijan Province and Fars Province. The paper considers all fatalities due to road traffic crashes registered in forensic medicine organizations (FMOs), over a 13-year period between March 21st, 2004 and March 19th, 2016,‎ divided into four time periods. It is grounded on the time span questionnaires including crash- and victim-related data such as ‎ type of crash, type of decedent’s vehicle, counterpart vehicle, injured organs, final cause of death, ‎place of death, role of decedent in crash, mode ‎of transport, light condition, pedestrian’s cloth color, date of ‎crash, along with demographic data. The final analysis will be done using variables’ common formats based on time periods questionnaires. Conclusion: The research protocol could serve as a comprehensive resource to upcoming RTI studies based on FMOs data and could be of help for developing a domestic registry system. Considering the national structure of data collection in Iranian FMO, this protocol could even be referred at national level by studies conducted on FMO related data, regarding the methodology of research, categorizing questionnaires data, and rapid analysis.

Impact of road traffic accidents on the elderly

IntroductionOlder adults are a vulnerable road user group with high mortality and morbidity in road crash. The aim of this study was to show pattern of road traffic injuries in this special aging group. Methods and materialsIn a cross sectional study, pre-hospital emergency system reports, hospital and police records of all motor vehicle collisions injured above 60 years old who were admitted to Pour-Sina hospital from April 2011 to March 2012 were studied. Demographic data, characteristic of road traffic incidents and in-hospital medical profiles were derived. Data were analyzed with SPSS ver. 18. Differences between demographic and injuries situation were calculated by chi square test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsOne thousand three-hundred six old injured were admitted during study period that this amount accounted for 8.7% of total road accident injured. Mean age of them was 70.9±6.7 years. Most of them were male (74.7%). 40.5% were pedestrians, 22.1% were car occupants and 19.1% were motorcyclists.76.7% had multiple trauma. Head and neck were the most prevalent regions of injured. Total in-hospital mortality rate was 10.1% that was higher in old elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists in comparison to young elderly (16.1% vs. 7.9%) and other type of victims (ρ<0.000). ResultsOne thousand three-hundred six old injured were admitted during study period that this amount accounted for 8.7% of total road accident injured. Mean age of them was 70.9±6.7 years. Most of them were male (74.7%). 40.5% were pedestrians, 22.1% were car occupants and 19.1% were motorcyclists.76.7% had multiple trauma. Head and neck were the most prevalent regions of injured. Total in-hospital mortality rate was 10.1% that was higher in old elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists in comparison to young elderly (16.1% vs. 7.9%) and other type of victims (ρ<0.000). ConclusionHigh mortality rate of road traffic injuries in this group especially in pedestrians should be taken into consideration and strategies aimed at the road-user safety including periodic medical examination and improvement of road structure and facilities.

Three-month pattern of road traffic injuries at a Kenyan level 4 hospital.

Road traffic injuries continue to exert a huge burden on the health care system in Kenya. Few studies on the pattern of road traffic injuries have been conducted in Kenya. We therefore carried out a retrospective study to determine the pattern of road traffic injuries seen in a public hospital in Naivasha district, Kenya. A retrospective study on surgical patients admitted at Naivasha District Hospital over a three month period was carried out. Eighty two percent of all patients injured in the crashes were men, and eighty percent were aged between 20-49 years. Most of the patients sustained lower limb injuries (41.5%) followed by head injuries (35.4%). Thirty one percent were pedestrians, 27.7% cyclists, 24.6% passengers and 16.9% motor vehicle drivers at the time of injury. Road traffic crashes are a growing pandemic, leading to high morbidity and mortality. Efforts need to be taken to prevent injuries, long term complications and loss of lives that are robbing communities off loved ones, bread winners and productive manpower.