Current Data on Road Traffic Fatalities in Bouake Epidemiological and Medico-Legal Aspects

Abstract

: To describe the epidemiological profile and forensic aspects of road traffic accident victims and to determine the relationship between the site of fatal injuries and the quality of road traffic accident victims in the commune of Bouake. This was a retrospective study with descriptive, conducted in the Forensic Medicine Unit of the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Bouake, over a period of 53 months (May 1, 2019 to October 31, 2022). The majority of the deceased were male (83.8%) with a sex ratio of 5.1. The age groups most affected were 21 to 30 years old (26.7%), with an average age of 29 years. The victims were most often not in school (49.6%). Fatal traffic accidents occurred most often on Sundays (17.5%), between 6 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. (47.9%). The majority of victims died at the scene of the accident (72.5%). Motorcycles were the most involved motor vehicles in the occurrence of fatal road accidents (37.5%) and motorcycle users were the most affected (50.5%) without helmets in 90% of cases. The mechanism of occurrence of these fatal accidents was dominated by collisions (80%). The victims died most often from traumatic injuries to the head (37.1%) or chest (10%). Road accidents are a major public health problem in the city of Bouake with a high mortality rate among users of two-wheeled vehicles.