Profile of fatal road traffic accidents in Rajkot city.

ABSTRACT

Road traffic injuries are recognized as a major health problem in developing countries accounting for the maximum morbidity and mortality following trauma. The present prospective study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, P.D.U. Medical College and Associated Hospital, Rajkot from January 2008 to December 2008. The objective of this study was to analyze the trend of fatal road traffic accidents and to find out the measures for the prevention of their causative factors. During that period out of 2159 autopsies, 298 cases of Road Traffic Accidents were selected for the present study which accounts 13.8% deaths. Our study shows that 99(33.22%) victims were male of middle age group (21-30 years), male female ratio was 10.51. 114(38.26%) cases were observed during working hours between 12.01 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. 101(33.89%) victims were pedestrians, followed by occupants of heavy four wheelers, two wheelers and three wheelers. Head injury in 161(54.03%) followed by hemorrhagic shock in 51(17.11%) were main causes of death. 141(47.32%) victims were died within one hour after accident.