Abstract :
Globally, deaths and injuries following Road Traffic Accident are a significant and increasing public health
concern. Death due to road traffic accidents is becoming alarming in India and rest of the countries. A
prospective study has been conducted at Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Sri Aurobindo
Medical College & Post Graduate Institute, Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The study was carried out from
October 2015 to March 2017. The study was undertaken to analyze Socio-demographic profile in fatal
road traffic accident victims. Total 102 cases of both sexes and all age groups having head injuries due
to road traffic accident, brought to our postmortem centre for medico-legal autopsy were included. Out
of total 102 cases, male to female ratio was 5.8:1 and commonest age group affected was 21-30 years
(36.8%). Among total victims, majority of cases were Hindu (93.1%). 28.4% of the victims were educated
up to secondary school and 28.4% were farmer & laborers by occupation. Most of the deaths occurred due
to accidents on Highway roads (47.1%). Most of the victims were on two wheeler (61.8%) and majority
of them were without helmet (97%). Accidents were most common in summer months of March, April,
May and June (39.2%). This study aims to provide epidemiological facts in head injury victims involved in
vehicular accidents.
Keyword :
Autopsy, Socio-demographic profile, Road traffic accident, Head injury.