AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN URBAN WEST-BENGAL

Road traffic injuries nowadays take the place as a major public health problem constituting leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally and in India, more than a million are injured annually and about a lakh are killed in road traffic accidents. Road traffic accidents are defined as a collision involving at least one vehicle in motion on a public or private road that results in at least one person being injured or killed. In this context, an epidemiological study was conducted in a teaching hospital of West Bengal for last one year for better understanding of the factors involved in road traffic accidents. The study population comprised of all the victims of road traffic accidents attending the emergency department during the study period. Total 355 gave full response with written informed consent and included in the study. Every one out of five subjects was male. Most were from 10-29years age group. Students (18.3%), skilled (21.9%) and unskilled worker (23.7%) by profession were found to be the major victims. More than half (55.5%) of the victims were involved in the two Wheeler accident. Among the all victims 25.92% were released after given first-aid and 48.73% were hospitalized. Half of the accident occurred in July - August and between 6 p.m. to 11p.m. The results ch. can be corroborated with further studies with more robust hypothesis.