Study of the Medicolegal Aspects of Traffic Accident Cases in North Bihar

ABSTRACT

Traffic accidents have become one of the leading causes of death in recent times. Out of all types of accidents confronting the mankind, traffic accidents claim a major share and the morbidity and mortality due to these is progressively on increase. On a general analysis, several factors seem to be responsible for causing these accidents on the roads including errors on the part of the drivers of the vehicles, the pedestrians or victims, lack of proper traffic system, mechanical defects or failures in the vehicles, bad condition of the roads, overcrowding and encroachment of the main roads or junctions and poor visibility on the pathways. The present study is aimed to assess the magnitude of the problem in northern part of the state. Methods: The present work was carried out categorising subjects into two groups. The first group was of those victims bought directly to the mortuary from the site of accident and the second group of those victims who succumbed due to injuries received in the accident in course of treatment in the hospital and later brought to mortuary for autopsy. A case-sheet was prepared for each individual case and all information as per the proforma were noted in it. Results: In the present series, a study of 75 cases of traffic accidents have been made. These cases accounted for 23.43% of total medicolegal autopsies conducted in the department during the period. This figure indicated that fatal traffic accidents have a considerable share among all unnatural deaths. Conclusion: The present study revealed that traffic accidents take a heavy toll of human lives in this region. Being preventable this should be given due consideration by public health authorities, all the members of medical profession, road safety authorities, legislators and other concerned persons. All the safety measures to prevent these should be evaluated from time to time so that the problems could be highlighted and newer methods employed for safe guarding majority of the population at risk from falling prey of these.