1Assistant Professors, Department of Forensic Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry
2Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai
3Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
4Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, SHKM Government Medical College, Haryana
5Assistant Professors, Department of Community Medicine, SHKM Government Medical College, Haryana
6Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Chennai
*Corresponding Author: Dr. M Venkatesan, Assistant Professor, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai. Email- venky91985@gmail.com. Mobile: 9488757333
Online published on 17 July, 2019.
In India, two wheeler accidents and deaths due to the over-speeding, rash driving, alcohol intoxication while driving on the road are a major public issue. Two-wheeler accidents contribute to a major chunk of road traffic accidents and hence this tantamounts to finding feasible solutions to reduce the number of accidents.
This study was conducted to note and confirm the factors related to helmet usage and contumacious non-compliance with the use of helmet among two wheeler riders in fatal crashes.
The study population consisted of the patients who sought care and subjected to post-mortem examination during the period of three years from June 2010 to May 2013. Hospital records and police records also served as study tools. Post-mortem findings were then correlated with history and inquest report to analyze each case.
Out of total 303 study subjects, 191 (63.04%) involved motorcyclists. Out of them 55.5% were unhelmeted. Motorcyclists in the age group of 20–29 years were more involved more in road accidents compared to the people in elderly age groups due to non-compliance in usage of helmets. Similarly males were in higher number of not wearing helmets than females. Relative to motorcycle riders riding motorcycles with engine size ≤125 cc, those riding motorcycles >125cc are less likely to be helmeted. Higher odds suggest, there is a diurnal variation involved in fatal crashes that is at night motorcyclists are less likely to wear helmets relative to those involved in broad daylight fatal crashes.
Crashes involving motorcyclists frequently result in death. Majority of these deaths are preventable. The results of this study should have ramifications over law enforcement and policy making so that new programs in prevention of fatal crashes and actions are established to avoid these preventable deaths.
Developing Countries, Accidents, Trauma, Logistic model, Fatal, Helmet
