Comparison of Highway Crash Reporting in Pakistan With the World Health Organization Injury Surveillance Guidelines

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the crash reporting system of National Highways & Motorways Police (NH&MP), Pakistan, with the World Health Organization (WHO) injury surveillance guidelines. Methods: Based on information collected from field observations, key informant interviews, and review of official documents, this note firstly describes the reporting system according to the components of a surveillance system. Then the reporting is compared with WHO criteria for designing and building an injury surveillance system and attributes of such a system. Results: After a crash, a patrol officer communicates the information to the higher police authorities by wireless, fax, and on paper in the first 24 hours. Microcomputer Accident Analysis Package (MAAP) Performa filed by the officers are collected at a central location in the following 4 days, and reports are published biannually. Notable deficiencies in the reporting were nonidentification of stakeholders for data utilization and limited prospects of data recording process modification and its monitoring. Moreover, crash and injury definitions do not conform to international standards practiced elsewhere. Conclusion: NH&MP crash reporting needs to be simplified and standardized, and steps should be taken to improve its utilization for prevention purposes.

Keywords:

• Motor vehicle
• Pedestrian
• Traffic accident

Acknowledgment

This study is part of the thesis by the main investigator presented in order to obtain a master's in safety promotion from Karolinska Institute, Sweden. The authors acknowledge Superintendent of Police Shaukat Ali Jatoi (Sqn Ldr), Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Aijaz Cheema (CPO), Inspector Irshad Ali Sodhar (SPO), Inspector Shahid Ali Khokhar (SPO), Inspector Muhammad Sharif Khoso (SPO), Inspector Nadeem Ashraf Warraich (SPO), Inspector Naeem ul lah Shiekh (SPO), Inspector Israr Ali Tunio (SPO), and Subinspector Raza Burdi (PO) for their help in data collection and input in the study manuscript.

reThe first author is the Senior Patrolling officer in NHMP in the Province of Sindh. The author(s) declare no competing interests.