Pattern of Injuries in Non-Fatal Road Traffic Accidents: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Centre in Haryana, North India

To find out the pattern of injuries and contributing factors in non-fatal road traffic accidents (RTAs) involving different genders, age groups, and types of offending vehicles brought to the emergency department of Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (MMIMSR), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana.

This is a cross-sectional prospective observational study of 160 cases of non-fatal injuries in RTAs who visited the emergency room of the MMIMSR, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, after an RTA during five months (December 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024). Hospital case records were further analyzed for accident features, injury type and severity data, and demographic parameters. All of the information was gathered in an anonymized data collection proforma. The data collected were tabulated in Microsoft Excel 2021 and were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistical software version 26.

Males (62.5%) were more common than females, and most victims (34%) were 21 to 30 years. The majority of RTAs happened during the daytime, between 6 AM to 6 PM (57.5%), and light motor vehicles (LMVs) (43%) were the most involved as offending vehicles. Abrasions were the most common non-fatal superficial injuries (87.5%). The most common major injury was lower limb fracture (37.5%), and most of the patients (75%) were brought within 2 hours of incidence.

Males were the most common gender involved in RTAs in the present study. LMVs were the most often involved in traffic accidents. Lower limb fracture was the most common major injury. The second most common major injury was an upper limb fracture, followed by a skull fracture. abrasions followed by fractures were the most common injury among non-fatal traffic accident victims.