A Study of Transportation Injuries in Central Southern Region of Nepal

Background: Transportation injuries are major causes of morbidity and mortality in underdeveloped countries like Nepal due to poor road conditions and lack of awareness regarding traffic rules. So this study aims to find the pattern of injuries present in road traffic accident cases presented to a tertiary care centre of mid southern region of Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 cases selected among transportation injuries victims coming to emergency department of National medical college and teaching hospital, Birgunj from August 2022 to July 2023. Ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of the same institute (Ref: F-NMC/566/078-079). Informed consent was taken from victims or their guardians. Data was collected using preformed proforma and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 2023. Results: Out of 400 cases of transportation injuries, the most common involvement was of age group of 21-40 years i.e. 199(49.8%). A significant preponderance of incident took place on Saturday 93(23.3%). Two wheelers were present in 212(53%) of incidents. Head on collision was present in majority of cases 184(46%) followed by side collisions 144(36%). Most common injuries in this study were found to be abrasion, present in 111(27.8%) cases followed by multiple injuries in 80(20%). The majority of injuries was present on head & neck region 120(30%). Conclusion: Road safety preventive measures from the government authority should be implemented to reduce fatality by transportation injuries. Young adults’ drivers of two-wheeler vehicles should strictly follow traffic rules. Key words: Injuries, road safety, examination, road traffic accidents.