Analysis of Fatal Road Traffic Accidents in a Metropolitan City of South India

Road traffic accident (RTA), a cause of unnatural death is the third major preventable one amongst all deaths. Road deaths in India are publicly glaring, while road safety is professionally lacking and politically missing. A retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore between January 2010 to December 2012, with an objective to study the demographic, injury profile and mortality pattern in autopsy cases with an alleged history of RTA and to draw public attention and awareness in order to prevent/control RTA. Out of 225 autopsied RTA victims, 55.11% victims were between 21–30 years of age, males constituted 78.22% of the total victims, and four wheeler vehicles were involved in 68.44% RTAs. Maximum RTAs occurred during the daytime, between 6 AM to 12 PM. Head injures constituted 30.22% of the total injuries, followed by injuries involving abdomen, thorax and limb. Haemorrhagic shock caused 63.11% of deaths, while head injury caused death in 30.22% of cases.

This study emphasizes that interventions in RTA should include combined efforts from the community, public and private sector, governmental and non-governmental organizations.