Effects of seat belts use on the severity of maxillofacial injuries in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa sample

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to know the effects of the seat belts on the severity and pattern of facial injuries in road traffic accidents. Sixty patients with road traffic accidents in four wheel vehicles were investigated for mild-moderate and severe facial injuries with and without seat belt usage during driving. This study was carried out in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar. These patients with maxillofacial injuries and associated fractures were studied for age, gender distribution, severity of facial injuries and their association to restrained or unrestrained with seat. Among 60 patients only 12 were wearing seat belts when accidents occurred. Male were dominant and most RTA occurred in patient in 20s. The mean age of the patient in the present study was 21.9 years SD +/- 3.5. The age range was 6 - 50 years. The most commonly involved age group was the 3rd decade [32.25%] followed by 1[st] decade [25%] and 4[th] decade [18.25%]