Epidemiological characteristics of expressway traffic trauma in 2040 cases

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiologic characteristics of expressway traffic trauma in (2 040) cases in Zhejiang Province.Methods: The data of (2 040) cases of expressway traffic trauma taken from Zhejiang Provincial Expressway Traffic Bureau were analyzed with computer techniques.Results: A total of (2 040) persons were injured in (7 963) expressway traffic accidents in Zhejiang Province from January 1999 to December 2001. Among them, 435 persons died (mortality, (21.3)%) and 1 605 were injured. The economic losses were over 170 million yuan RMB. The accidents caused by human factors accounted for (84.9)% (vehicle drivers accounting for (79.2)%), which mainly included improper measures ((20.4)%), steering failure ((17.7)%), insufficient longitudinal space ((15.9)%), over-speed drive ((12.5)%), fatigue drive ((6.4)%), loading violation ((5.9)%) and careless drive ((6.3)%). Mechanical troubles and other factors took up (15.1)%. There existed obvious uneven distribution among various regions. Jiaxing and Shaoxing were the sections with high incidence of accidents. The accidents mostly happened at 12:00-18:00, but the causing-dead ones most concentrated at 0:00-6:00. The main victims were young and middle-aged people (accounting for (72.3)%), but accident-stricken children and elderly persons (over 70 years old) took up higher mortalities ((30.2)% and (40.7)%, respectively). Conclusions: The number of expressway traffic accidents and the economic losses are increasing year by year, with obvious uneven distribution at different places, different time and under different weather conditions. To reduce the accident frequency, it is important to strengthen the enforcement of traffic regulation, to balance the system of ”person-vehicle-road”, and to improve the safety consciousness of people.