Descriptive Study of Road Traffic Accidents in Sirt, Libya
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- Category: Vol. 79, March 2011
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Descriptive Study of Road Traffic Accidents in Sirt, Libya,MORID M. HANNA and ETEMAD A.A. EL-SHEREEF
Abstract
A study of road traffic accident (RTA) was carried out in Sirt-Libya for the period of one year from January 1st to 31 December 2009. Data was collected from medical record office of IbnSina Teaching Hospital. The highest percentage of cases was in the age group of 20-29 years (57.6%). More males were involved in the accidents than females (81.4 versus 18.6). Illiterate constituted the largest group involved in RTAs (29.5%). The highest number of RTA victims were reported in the first quarter of the year (January, February, and March) followed by fourth quarter of the year (October, November and December). The highest number of accidents occurred from 8-10am and 2-4pm respectively. Head and neck injuries (36.3%), lower extremity (33.2%) and upper extremity (29.8%) were the most injured parts of the body of victims. As regard severity of injury; minor injuries represented 38.2%, moderate (29.4%), serious (20.2%), severe (6.1%), critical (1.6%) and fatal (4.5%) of injuries. The most common type of injuries was abrasions and bruises (40.0%), fractures 32.2%, lacerations (17.0%), crushed injury (8.1%) and least vital organ injury (2.0%). About three-quarters of victims were conscious at the time of hospitalization. 38.0% of victims stayed in hospital for less than one day. 15.6% were given blood transfusion. More occupants (55.9%) were involved in the accidents than drivers (31.2%) and pedestrians (12.9%). Motorcars (67.8%), minibuses and vans (18.6%), trucks (5. 1), buses (5.1%), and motorized 2 and 3 wheelers (3.4%) were the common vehicles involved in RTAs.
There is lack of coordination between different ministries, departments and other agencies working in the field of injury including road traffic injury. Therefore, there is a need for the Ministry of Health to take the lead and coordinate the efforts of all agencies working for the prevention and control of road traffic injuries.