Study of Socio-demographic Profile and Cause of Death of Road Traffic Accident Victims

The road traffic accidents are as old as the roads, since the vehicles started moving on roads. Mortality and morbidity as a result of road traffic accidents are increasing at an alarming rate as a result of rapid industrialization, increasing number of vehicles, bad traffic sense added by environmental factors. The present study was carried for a period of one year from January to December 2013 at SIMS, Shivamogga intended to know the socio-demographic profile of the deceased and to create awareness in the public. Out of the study group 25% of victims were in 21 to 30 year age group, males constituted 85.8% of the victims, students i.e, 27% were among the victims, riders were involved in maximum number of road traffic accidents and majority of the accidents took place in rural limits of the district and among the hindu community. Head injury 45.8%, followed by shock and hemorrhage 31.2% were the major cause of death.