Socio-demographic profiles of victims of road traffic accidents in Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand

The aim of present study was to know socio-demographic profile of victims of road traffic accident, distribution of victims by mode of transportation, vehicles causing road traffic accidents and place of death of victims in order to improve the safety features of vehicles, enforcing strict traffic laws, increasing public awareness.

The study was hospital based retrospective study conducted in Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology and attached mortuary of Dr. Susheela Tiwari Hospital, Haldwani over a period from January 2019 to December 2019 over 110 cases of road traffic accidents.

Maximum number of RTA fatalities was recorded in the age group of25-34years (26.4%) followed by 45–54 years of age group (19.1%), 19–24 years (17.3%) and minimum number of RTA cases were noted in <10 years of age group (2.7%). The male/female ratio was approximately 11.2:1. Two wheeler driver were most common victim involved in road traffic accident (46.4%) followed by pedestrian (24.5%), pillion riders (11.8%) and four wheeler vehicle (9.1%). Accidents caused by heavy vehicles accounted (25.5% cases) followed by four wheeler (20.0%) and unknown vehicle (19.1%), 25.45% cases reported self-injury. The maximum number of fatal RTA cases occurred in the summer season (30.0%) followed by spring and winter season (25.4% and 23.6%) and autumn season accounted for (20.9% cases). Majority of the victims died at site accounting for 60 cases (54.2%) while 50 cases died at hospital accounting for 45.5%.