A SEVEN YEAR REVIEW OF PATTERN OF INJURIES IN FATAL ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN, SOUTH WEST, NIGERIA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM 2007 TO 2013

Abstract

Background
The mounting death toll from road traffic accidents (RTA) in Nigeria constitutes a significant
public health problem, which requires urgent attention especially as these deaths are preventable.
The pattern of injuries sustained in these fatalities has received relatively little attention in
Nigeria. In Nigeria, RTA is increasingly being recognized as a growing public health problem,
but unfortunately, little or no work has been done. However, there are a few studies that dwell
mainly on the epidemiology of RTA
Aim
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The aim of this study is to provide an update of pattern of injuries in fatal road traffic accidents
(RTA) which presented at the University College Hospital, in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Materials and methods
All fatal road traffic accidents over the study period (January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2013),
were retrieved from the records of the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital,
Ibadan. Coroner’s requests or post-mortem reports of all the cases were reviewed. The injuries
were consequently categorised according to the principal sites involved.
The data obtained was analysed, using specific package social science (SPSS) version 20.
Results
There were 1,212 cases of fatal road traffic accidents, consisting of 955 male and 257 female
victims. The most common injuries seen at post-mortem examination were abrasions
967(79.8%), fractures 954 (78.7%), bruises 787(64.9%), lacerations 742 (61.2%) and the least is
burns 19(1.6%). Many of the victims had more than one injury 1054 (87.3%).
The peak age incidence for males and females were in the third and fourth decades of life
respectively. The regions in the body most affected by the injuries were the head (76.8%) and the
lower limbs (15.3%). The abdomen (3.1%) and pelvis (1.7%) were the least affected. Pedestrians
(27.6%) and motorcyclists (26.8) were the most involved in cases of fatal road traffic accidents.
Pedal cyclists cases (0.1%) were the least involved. Motorcycles (36.0%) and cars (31.4%) were
the most involved automobiles, while bicycles (0.2%) and tricycles (0.2%) were the least
involved.
Head injury (69.6%) was the commonest cause of death, while burns (1.6%) was the least.
Conclusion
The pattern of injuries in fatal road traffic accidents has remained relatively unchanged in our
population over the years. The most affected body regions were the head and lower limbs. The
pedestrians and motorcyclists were mostly the victims. Motorcycles and cars were the most
involved automobiles. The commonest cause of death in fatal road traffic accidents remained
head injury, followed by severe haemorrhage due to multiple bodily injuries.