Burns & Trauma (Apr 2014)
An epidemiological study on the road traffic accidents from hills of north India
Abstract
Road traffic injuries are increasingly being reported as an important cause of morbidity and disability worldwide. Various epidemiologic factors related to road traffic crash cases were examined to identify potential targets for future preventative strategies. This hospital-based descriptive study collected relevant information by use of a predesigned and pretested questionnaire given to total of 401 consecutive individuals that received nonfatal injuries from road traffic crashes who reported to the Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital in Shimla, India between June 2005 to May 2006. The percentage of cases corresponding to preselected categories were compared using chi-square analyzes to determine statistical significance. A majority of the injured victims included in this study were between 20-49 years of age, with a male to female ratio of 5.3:1. The largest numbers of victims were employees and occupants of transport vehicles. Human error was the most reported cause of crash, and the most common mode of crash was skidding and/or rolling down. The highest proportion of crashes occurred on curved roads. The most at-risk population in Shimla, India for receiving nonfatal traffic-related injuries is males between 20 and 49 years of age who utilize transport vehicles. As the majority of nonfatal injuries occur in passengers of light transport vehicles (LMVs) in accidents at road curves, road safety strategies should target these locations and the drivers of these vehicles in order to most effectively protect their occupants.
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