Risk factors for urban road traffic injuries in Hangzhou, China

ObjectiveTo investigate factors that most influence urban road traffic injuries (RTI) mortality and morbidity.MethodsThe study used linked police and hospital records of RTI patients in the city of Hangzhou during the 3-year period 2004–2006. Three RTI outcome groups were included: (1) fatally injured; (2) severely injured; and (3) mildly injured persons.ResultsHigh risks for fatal road traffic accidents (RTA) were found on urban links, over weekend, during night hours, in male drivers who drove old vehicles without using seat belts, and at exceeding speeds, or with night time accidents and bad weather condition. In case of higher risk for all urban road users on urban junctions, the numbers on mildly injury cases were increasing. The highest combined risk for dying or being severely injured was found in male drivers driving at excessive speed, on urban links, and with night time accidents.ConclusionsIntensifying safety education of motor vehicle drivers, enhancing traffic management and keeping balance of “person–vehicle–road” system will greatly reduce the urban traffic accidents and casualties.

[1]  A. Hyder,et al.  Review Article: Road traffic injuries in India: A review of the literature , 2006, Scandinavian journal of public health.

[2]  G. Guyatt,et al.  The independent contribution of driver, crash, and vehicle characteristics to driver fatalities. , 2002, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[3]  Kelvin K W Yau,et al.  Multiple-vehicle traffic accidents in Hong Kong. , 2006, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[4]  Peter Cummings,et al.  Passenger seating position and the risk of passenger death or injury in traffic crashes. , 2004, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[5]  Silvio Brusaferro,et al.  Risk factors for fatal road traffic accidents in Udine, Italy. , 2002, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[6]  P C Cryer,et al.  Investigation of bias after data linkage of hospital admissions data to police road traffic crash reports , 2001, Injury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention.

[7]  R. Maier,et al.  Trauma mortality patterns in three nations at different economic levels: implications for global trauma system development. , 1997, The Journal of trauma.

[8]  Kelvin K W Yau,et al.  Risk factors affecting the severity of single vehicle traffic accidents in Hong Kong. , 2004, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[9]  D. Grabowski,et al.  State motor vehicle laws and older drivers. , 2005, Health economics.

[10]  Lucie Laflamme,et al.  Fatal crashes involving young unlicensed drivers in the U.S. , 2006, Journal of safety research.

[11]  Charles Mock,et al.  Trauma mortality patterns in three nations at different economic levels: implications for global trauma system development. , 1997 .

[12]  L R Salmi,et al.  Road accident statistics: discrepancies between police and hospital data in a French island. , 1999, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[13]  Carol Holland,et al.  The effect of age, gender and driver status on pedestrians' intentions to cross the road in risky situations. , 2007, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[14]  A. Brazinova,et al.  Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Austria II: Epidemiology of hospital admissions , 2006, Wiener klinische Wochenschrift.

[15]  Pablo Lardelli-Claret,et al.  Individual factors affecting the risk of death for rear-seated passengers in road crashes. , 2006, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[16]  Carlos Carrillo,et al.  Road traffic injuries in an urban area in Mexico. An epidemiological and cost analysis. , 2004, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[17]  H-Y Berg,et al.  Reducing crashes and injuries among young drivers: what kind of prevention should we be focusing on? , 2006, Injury Prevention.

[18]  Xiao-Gang Zhao,et al.  Epidemiological characteristics of expressway traffic trauma in 2040 cases. , 2004, Chinese journal of traumatology = Zhonghua chuang shang za zhi.