An Observation on the Mortality Rates of Transport Accidents in Korea / 예방의학회지

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the incidence of transport accident for the period, 1955-1965. Transport accidents were classified into three categories, viz. railway(WHO Classification of Diseases, E-802), watercraft(E850-E858) and motor vehicle accidents(E810-E835, E840-E841, E844-E845). Crude data on the subject were collected from the various sources of Government Statistical Books including Statistical Year Books edited by the Central Office of Economic Planning Board, Annual Police Reports by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the national and local associations for road traffic safety. From the data incidence and mortality rates by year, month and local province were computed and other variables relevant to the epidemiology of accidents were observed. The following summary could be drawn 1. Death rates due to transport accidents per 100,000 population were 12.3 for 1955 and 9.7 and 1965. The incidence of injury due to the same cause were 34.0 for 1955 and 35.9 for 1965. 2. Death rates by transportation vehicle showed 9.0 due to motor vehicle accidents, 1.7 due to water-crafts, and 1.6 due to railway trains for 1955. In 1965 death rates were 6.0 due to motor vehicles, 1.2 to water-crafts and 2.4 to railway. 3. Seasonal distribution of transport accidents revealed that car accidents occur more frequently in spring and fall seasons while ship accidents do in winter and train accidents more in summer. 4. Both car and ship accidents slightly decreased during the past decade, 1955-1965, whereas the accidents of railway trains showed a tendency of increase. 5. Although the survey on railway accidents excluded the injuries of passengers or railway employees corresponding to WHO classification of diseases, E801, due to inaccuracy of data, it is roughly estimated that the same number of causalities as the incidence among pedestrians or any other than passengers or employees assumed to be at work(E 802).