Pattern of Injuries in Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Seen in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital: An Autopsy-Based Study

Authors

  • Francis Faduyile Lagos State University, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos
  • Festus Emiogun Lagos State University, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos
  • Sunday Soyemi Lagos State University, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos
  • Olugbenga Oyewole Lagos State University, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos
  • Uche Okeke Lagos State University, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos
  • Oluseun Williams Lagos State University, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2017.025

Keywords:

Motorcycle accidents, head injury, pedestrian, pillion passenger, road traffic accident

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Deaths from motorcycle accident injuries have remained a major public health issue in Nigeria over the years.

AIM: The study is to determine the age and gender distribution of the victims and to identify the cause of death and the anatomical pattern of injuries seen.

METHODOLOGY: This is a 5-year autopsy-based study of all motorcycle accident deaths seen in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital between December 2009 and November 2014. The data were retrieved from autopsy reports, hospital case notes extracts from police diary and were analysed using SPSS version 20.

RESULTS: Motorcycle accidents accounted for 156 (2.8%) of all the autopsies done (5,661), and 156 (18.4%) of all Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) autopsies (849) performed over the study period, with a male: female ratio of 6:1. The peak age of victims was 31-40 years (30.9%). Head injuries accounted for most (41.4%) of the injuries seen, and the majority of the victims died of craniocerebral injury 53 (50.7%).

CONCLUSION: This study showed that males in the fourth decade of life are the major victims of motorcycle accident death. The majority of the victims were the rider of the motorcycle. Most of them died of the craniocerebral injury.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Plum Analytics Artifact Widget Block

References

Aderamo AJ, Olatujoye S. Trends in motorcycle accidents in Lokoja, Nigeria. Eur Int J Sci Technol. 2013; 2: 251-261.

Nwadiaro HC, Ekwe K.K, Akpayak IC, Shitta H. Motorcycle injuries in north central Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2011; 14: 186-189. https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.84012 PMid:21860137 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.84012

Olubomehin OO. The development and impact of motorcycles as means of transportation in Nigeria. Res Humanities and Soc Sci. 2012; 2: 231-239.

Kudebong M, Wurapa F, Aikins M. Economic burden of motorcycle accidents in northern Ghana. Ghana Med J. 2011; 45: 135-142. PMid:22359418 PMCid:PMC3283097

Kigera JNM and Naddumba EK. Patterns of injuries after road traffic crashes involving Bodabodas. Ann Afr Surg. 2010; 5:12-15. https://doi.org/10.4314/aas.v5i1.53705 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/aas.v5i1.53705

Dall G. The incidence of motorcycle accidents in South Africa- an alarming increase. SA Med J. 1983; 64: 161-163. PMid:6867894

World Health Organisation. 10 facts on global road safety [Internet]. Available from: http:// www.who.int/features/factfiles/roadsafety/en/. (Cited 2014, May 4)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic Safety Facts 2007: Motorcycles. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Washington DC; Report No: DOT HS 810 990, 2007.

Labinjo M, Juillard C, Kobusingye OC, Hyder AA. The burden of road traffic injuries in Nigeria: results of a population–based survey. Inj Prev. 2009; 15: 157-62. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2008.020255 PMid:19494094 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2008.020255

Kerns T, McCullough CA. An analysis of Hospitalised motorcyclists in the state of Maryland based on Helmet use and outcome. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington DC, 2008; Paper No 09-0061.

Lin LR, Kraus JF. A review of risk factors and pattern of motorcycle injuries. Accid Anal Prev. 2009; 41: 710-722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2009.03.010 PMid:19540959 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2009.03.010

Sharma BR, Gupta N, Sharma AK, Sharma S. Pattern of fatal motorised two-wheeler crash injuries in Northern India: is safety helmet adequate prevention? Trends in Med Res. 2007; 2: 27-36. https://doi.org/10.3923/tmr.2007.27.36 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/tmr.2007.27.36

Kraus JF, Rice TM, Peek Asa C, McArthur DL. Facial trauma and the risk of intracranial injury in motorcycle riders. Ann Emerg Med. 2003; 41:18-26. https://doi.org/10.1067/mem.2003.1 PMid:12514678 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1067/mem.2003.1

Wyatt JP, Donnell JO, Beard D, Busuttil A. Injury analysis of fatal motorcycle collisions in Scotland. Forensic Sci Int. 1999; 104: 127-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(99)00104-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(99)00104-8

Kraus JF, Peek-Asa C, Cryer HG. Incidence, severity and patterns of intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries in motorcycle crashes. J Trauma. 2002; 52: 548-553. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-200203000-00022 PMid:11901334 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-200203000-00022

Solagberu BA, Ofoegbu CKP, Nasir AA, Ogundipe OK, Adekanye AO, Abdurahman LO. Motorcycle injuries in a developing country and the vulnerability of riders, passengers and pedestrians. Inj Prev. 2006; 12: 266-268. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2005.011221 PMid:16887951 PMCid:PMC2586788 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2005.011221

Oberoi SS, Aggarwal KK, Bhullar DS, Kumar R. Pattern and distribution of injuries in fatal two-wheeler accidental cases. J Punjab Acad Forensic Med Toxicol. 2010; 10: 11-13.

Emejulu CJ, Ekweogwu C, Nottidge T. The burden of motorcycle related neurotrauma in South-East Nigeria. J Clin Med Res. 2009; 1: 013-017.

Lin MR and Kraus JF. Methodological issues in motorcycle injury epidemiology. Accid Anal Prev. 2008; 40: 1653-1660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2008.05.005 PMid:18760092 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2008.05.005

Carasco CE, Godinho M, Barros MB, Rizoli S, Fraga GP. Fatal motorcycle crashes: a serious public health problem in Brazil. World J Emerg Surg. 2012; 7:S5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1749-7922-7-S1-S5 PMid:23531421 PMCid:PMC3424925 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1749-7922-7-S1-S5

Heydari ST, Maharlouei N, Foroutan A, Sarikhani Y, Ghaffarpasand F, Hedjazi S et al. Fatal motorcycle accidents in Fars province in Iran: a community based survey. Chin J Traumatol. 2012; 5: 222-227.

Department of Planning, Transportation and Environment. Road Traffic Accident Statistics 2005, City of Johannesburg, 2007.

Department for Transport. Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2010 Annual Report. Department for Transport, London, UK, 2011.

Nzegwu MA, Aligbe JU, Banjo AAF, Akhiwu W, Nzegwu CO. Patterns of morbidity and mortality amongst motorcycle riders and their passengers in Benin City, Nigeria: one year review. Ann Afr Med. 2009; 7: 82-85. https://doi.org/10.4103/1596-3519.55675 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1596-3519.55675

Published

2017-02-18

How to Cite

1.
Faduyile F, Emiogun F, Soyemi S, Oyewole O, Okeke U, Williams O. Pattern of Injuries in Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Seen in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital: An Autopsy-Based Study. Open Access Maced J Med Sci [Internet]. 2017 Feb. 18 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];5(2):112-6. Available from: https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/oamjms.2017.025

Issue

Section

A - Basic Science