Deaths Due to Road Traffic Injuries- A Forensic Autopsy Study

Abstract

Background: Injuries due to road traffic injuries (RTIs) depend upon various factors that include human, vehicle and environmental factors that plays a vital role before, during and after a fatal vehicular accident. Road traffic injuries involve high human suffering and monetary costs in terms of ultimately deaths, injuries and loss of potential income. Aims and Objective: The aims and objective of study was to study the incidence of death due to road traffic injuries, demographic profile including various contributary factors of victims and vehicles and to analyse the magnitude of deaths.Material & Methods:The present retrospective and cross sectional study was conducted in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Department, Government Medical College, Amritsar. All the autopsies conducted on road traffic injuries victims during the period from Jan, 2016 to Dec, 2020 were studied. Results:Majority of cases taken up for study were males (80%) followed by females (20%), majority cases belonged to the age group of 21 -30 years (34.72%). The majority of cases (70.61 %)that met with road traffic injury happened at evening time period. Head injury was the cause of death in 42.45% cases followed by 33.88% cases having multiple injuries.Conclusions:Motorization though has enhanced the lives in this era but that has come up with some price. High priority is demanded towards the alarming rate of human loss due to RTIs. Awareness at every level including the strict formation of policies that would prevent such RTIs in future.