Rail Traffic Accidents: A retrospective study

One hundred and twenty-seven autopsy cases of rail traffic accidents received from South Delhi were studied during the period from 1996-2002. Data for the study was gathered from autopsy reports and hospital records. The cases represented approximately 1.41% of all autopsy cases received from South Delhi at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (India). Data was analysed with regard to the age and sex of the victim, the part of the body involved and the pattern of injuries in different body regions. Death occurred at the scene of the fatal event in twenty-eight cases; another twenty-eight cases were brought in dead to the hospital. Seventy-one cases died after being admitted to the hospital. Ethanol was detected in the blood of 17.4% of cases.