Analysis of Fatalities in Two Wheeler Road Traffic Injury and the Beneficial Effect of Implementation of Helmet Law-A Study from, Madurai South India

According to National Crime Records Bureau, over 1, 37, 000 people were killed in road accidents in 2013 alone, that is more than the number of people killed in all our wars put together. Drunken driving and poor infra structures are among the leading causes of road fatalities. Among this, two wheelers account for 25% of total road crash deaths. The aim of this study is to find out the trend of mortality associated with two wheeler accident with respect to age, sex of the victim, type of injuries sustained, type of vehicle involved and time distribution, along with effect of implementation of helmet law over the mortality associated with two wheeler accidents during the period of one year from 1^st January to 31^st December of 2015. Main aim of this study was to establish the effect of helmet in the prevention and reduction of mortality due to head injury that occur in road traffic accidents. A number of reviews have previously been published regarding this protective effect of helmet. Madurai district is second largest in population of the 32 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in south-eastern India. According to 2011 census, Madurai district had a population of 3, 038, 252 up from 2, 578, 201 in the 2001 census, for a growth rate of 17.95%. It had a sex-ratio of 990 females for every 1, 000 males, up from 978 in 2001, and much above the national average of 929. A total of 313, 978 were under the age of six, constituting 162, 517 males and 151, 461 females. The average literacy of the district was 74.83%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. Total of 460 deaths occur because of two wheeler accidents. In the present study it was observed that 64% of victim used geared type vehicle. Accident rate among riders, male(99%) was higher than that among female (1%). Accident rate among pillion riders males 80% and 20% female. These findings are very similar to those reported by other researchers. Injury concerned head injury contributes 60% followed by multiple injuries 38%. Most of the accident occurs in sub urban area78.4%, compared to urban area 21.6%. Most of the fatalities occur between 4pm to 11pm. Accidents are highest in the month of June followed by September and least in December followed by February.