Determinants of severe injury and mortality from road traffic accidents among motorcycle and car users in Southern Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to identify factors associated with severe injury and mortality from road traffic accidents (RTA) among motorcycle and car users in southern Thailand. The data were obtained from the Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Thailand, for years 2008–2013. Chi-squared tests were used to assess associations between determinants and outcomes and these associations were then estimated after adjusting for possible confounding with other factors using logistic regression. Severe injury and mortality contributed 11.6% and 5% to RTA of motorcycle users, and 14.3% and 7.5% for car users. Among motorcycle users, male gender, older age, and not wearing a helmet increased severe injury and mortality rates, whereas drivers had more severe injuries than passengers. Older car users had higher severe injury and mortality rates, whereas not fastening seat belts had higher mortality. Safety device use should be made mandatory for both drivers and passengers. Male motorcycle users and the elderly should be focused on.

Keywords:

• Road traffic accidents
• mortality
• tertiary hospital
• injury severity score

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the transportation data from Office of Disease Prevention and Control. The authors acknowledge their appreciation of Prof. Don McNeil who provided valuable suggestions, guidance and contributed through a preliminary review. We would like to thank the Research and Development Office, Prince of Songkla University for providing a grammar checking service performed by Assoc. Prof. Seppo Karrila.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Graduate School, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, and partially supported by the Centre of Excellence in Mathematics, the Commission on Higher Education, Thailand.