Epidemiological Study of Fatal and Nonfatal Road Traffic Accidents and Their Outcomes on Children and Adolescents in Shahroud, Iran

Background: Traffic accidents are among the important health issues that threaten human life. Children are among the main victims of these accidents. This research aimed to study the epidemiology of fatal and nonfatal road traffic accidents and their outcomes in children and adolescents in Shahroud, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and analytical study was conducted from July to December 2011. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire. After verifying its content validity and reliability, the questionnaire was completed by emergency medical technicians. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (the Chi-square test). Results: Of 363 studied cases, the majority of accidents happened in July with 108 (29.8%) cases and on Thursdays (18.7%). About 89.3% of drivers were male and aged 39 to 40 years (44.6%). Most accidents happened during 8 to 12 AM (23.7%). Moreover, 21.28% (1161 persons) of all injured people and 18.75% (48 persons) of all deceased victims were children under 14 years old. None of the victims under 14 years of age used protective tools. Head and spine trauma, respectively, were reported as the most common injury in this age group. There was no significant differences between victims aged less and more than 14 years old in terms of spinal cord injury (P=0.03). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to take some basic actions such as improving roads, identification of black spots, installation of warning signs at those points, and extending controls and supervisions by police. It is also very important to use standard protective tools for children and adolescents, force rules for using appropriate safety equipment for this age group, and provide public trainings for the people to raise their level of awareness