Patterns of Morbidity and Mortality amongst Motorcycle Riders and their Passengers in Benin-City Nigeria: One-year Review

Objective: To evaluate patterns of morbidity and mortality among bike riders and pillion seat passengers involved in road traffic accidents in Benin-City Nigeria between August 2003-July 2004. Methods: A total of Fifty-one bike riders and pillion seat passengers, who participated in this study were part of a larger study, involved in a road traffic accident and were brought to the accident and emergency unit of either the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) or the State Specialist Hospital between August 2002-July2003.The injured ones were examined and dead patients had an autopsy done on them Results: A total of 51 cases of bikes riders/pillion seat passenger accidents were recorded representing 18% of total accidents. 35 motorbike riders/pillion seat passengers were struck down by cars (68.6%). Seven bike riders/pillion seat passengers (13.5%) were struck by articulated vehicles. 7 bike riders/pillion seat passengers representing 13.5% of cases were stuck by buses, 2 (3.9%) pillion seat passengers fell of bikes from epilepsies and sustained secondary injuries. Males were more in number with a ratio of 2.5; 1. One hundred percent (100%) or all motorcyclist and their passengers did not use helmets. Conclusion: Cars struck down most bike riders and their pillion seat passengers. Males were more than females in number. The commonest autopsy findings as cause of death was intra-cranial hemorrhage preventable by the use of crash helmets.Objectif: pour \ue9valuer la morbidit\ue9 et la mortalit\ue9 parmi les motocyclistes et leur passagers qui sont victimes des accidents de circulation dans la cite de B\ue9nin au Nigeria entre Ao\ufbt 2003 et Juillet 2004 M\ue9thodes: une cinquante des motocyclistes et leurs passagers participants dans cette \ue9tude, \ue9taient victimes d'un accidents de circulation et ont \ue9t\ue9 amen\ue9 a la salle d'urgence et d'accidents du centre hospitalier universitaire du B\ue9nin ou de l'h\uf4pital sp\ue9cialiste de l'\ue9tat entre Ao\ufbt 2002 et juillet 2003. On a examine les blesses et quant aux gens morts, on leur a fait une autopsie. R\ue9sultat: on a not\ue9 une cinquantaine des motocyclistes et leur passagers qui \ue9taient victimes d'accidents routiers. Ce bilan repr\ue9sente 18% de tous les accidents. Trente-cinq motocyclistes \ue9taient renverses par les voitures (68%), sept motocyclistes et passagers 13.5% \ue9taient renverses par les autobus, deux passagers sont tomb\ue9s du moto pendant une attaque d'\ue9pilepsie et \ue9taient gri\ue8vement bless\ue9s Pratiquement tous les motocyclistes se sont m\ue9pris\ue9s de casque protecteur. Conclusions: la plupart des motocyclistes et passagers \ue9taient renvers\ue9s par les voitures. Parmi les victimes, les hommes \ue9taient plus nombreux que les femmes. Partout dans les r\ue9sultats de l'autopsie, la cause la plus courante des morts \ue9tait l'h\ue9morragie intracr\ue2nienne