INJURY PATTERN AMONG ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS' VICTIMS IN ABHA CITY, SAUDI ARABIA 2018-2019

Background: one of the most permanent causes of disability in young individuals is traffic accidents, which are the major causes of death in the emergency room. In addition to the economic losses to individuals their families, and to nations as a whole that road accidents can cause. Due to all this and other destructive effects of traffic accident, the study is designed to identify injury pattern among road traffic accident victims in abha city, saudi arabia.

Methodology: data were extracted from aseer central hospital (ach)’s information system file for 1010 rta victims who were received and admitted to the emergency department of ach during the period between aug 2017 and aug 2018. This date contains bio demographic characteristics, time of occurrence and injury data including pattern, injury severity score (iss), and neurological deficits occurrence.

Results: data show that most victims of traffic accidents are males younger than 30 years old and most accidents occur at night. The most frequent injuries are in that order: the lower limbs, upper limbs then head. 2.1 % of the sample reported death, 8.7% reported permanent squeal while 71.8 % manage their injuries through having surgery. However, 47.2 % of survivors from traffic accidents had return to hospital especially complained from a severe pain in injured organ especially at back and head.

Conclusion: traffic deaths and injuries are definitely preventable, but for prevention to be effective, an integrated tactic of traffic safety that addresses vehicles, road users and road system infrastructure is required beside traffic safety education and effective enforcement.

Key word: Road traffic injury, Head injury, Pre-hospital death, Road traffic related mortality.