Fatal road traffic accidents: An epidemiological survey on medico-legal autopsy cases a retrospective study

A retrospective mortuary based study was conducted on deceased of fatal road traffic accidents to analyze different epidemiological data. In the present mechanical era road traffic accidents are increasing day by day at an alarming rate and accounts for majority of deaths in young age group as they are in the most active phase of life. A post mortem examination study of road traffic accidents was carried out over one year retrospectively in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi for the year 2008.Out of total 1798 medico-legal autopsy conducted during the study period, 554 cases (30.81%) were of road traffic accidents. In the present study it showed male preponderance (87.55%), commonest age group affected was between 21-40 years which involved 267(53.25%) cases. Maximum mortality was either at the spot or on the way to the hospital was in 255(46.03%) cases. Head injuries were outnumbered with 344 (62.10%) cases than involvement of other vital organs. Hindus outnumbered Muslims. We found maximum deaths recorded in the month of April and lowest in the month of September i.e.10.11% & 5.96% respectively and if we took it as season wise it is reported max in winter (35.20%) followed by summer (33.21%).