1Postgraduate Student, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka
2Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka
*Corresponding author: Dr Mahesh C Postgraduate, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560002, Email: maheshcshekar@gmail.com Phone: 9880655902
Online published on 27 July, 2017.
India accounts for about 10% of RTA fatalities worldwide. In more than half of RTAs the major cause of death is Head Injury. The present prospective study was conducted at Department of Forensic Medicine, BMC&RI, Bengaluru over a period of 18 months from March 2015 to August 2016. A total of 208 cases of fatal RTA victims with head injury were studied. Highest number of RTAs (43.27%) was seen in young adults in the age group between 20–40 years. Male preponderance with male: female ratio of 7.32: 1 was observed. Highest number accidents (34.14%) occurred between 9AM-5PM. Highest number of victims were two-wheeler drivers (42.31%) followed by pedestrians (36.54%). In the present study, 25% of cases died on the spot and 9.62% of cases died on the way to hospital. More than half of the victims (55.77%) died within 24 hrs of accident. Alcohol consumption, using mobile phones and failure to wear a protective helmet were identified as important risk factors. 97.11% of cases had skull fractures. The dominant type of skull fracture found was linear fracture (49.04%). Temporal bone (51.44%) was the commonest bone to be involved. SDH is the most commonly found intracranial hemorrhage observed in this study, found in 83.14% of cases followed by SAH in 82.69% of cases.
Road traffic accidents, Head injuries, Skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage
