Young adults and riding position: factors that affect mortality among inpatient adult motorcycle casualties: a major trauma center experience.

BACKGROUND: In Singapore, road traffic accidents (RTAs) are the second most common cause of deaths in trauma. Motorcycle casualties account for 54% of all fatalities. Studies have shown that the mean age of motorcycle casualties is significantly younger than that of other RTA victims. METHODS: We reviewed the mortality of all motorcycle casualties>or=16 years admitted to an acute hospital as emergencies from January 2004 to December 2006. To determine the impact of age on mortality, we divided our patients into two groups, one21 years (older group). A subset analysis based on riding position (driver versus passenger) was performed to determine the inpatient mortality rate in these two groups. RESULTS: There were 96 (14%) patients in the younger group and 586 (86%) patients in the older group. The mortality rate for younger motorcycle casualties was significantly higher (14.6% versus 8%; p=0.04). Also, there were significantly more passengers in the younger group (25% versus 8.4%; p=0.0001). The mortality rate among young passengers was significantly higher than that among young drivers (29.2% versus 9.7%; p=0.019). Likewise, the mortality rate of the young passengers was also significantly higher than that among older passengers (29.2% versus 10.2%; p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Young motorcycle casualties have a significantly higher mortality rate than older motorcycle casualties. Young passengers have the highest mortality rate and contribute significantly to the death rate among young motorcycle casualties.