Description

Road traffic injuries account for 2.1% of global mortality. The developing countries bear a large share of burden and account for about 85% of the deaths as a result of road traffic crashes. [2] India accounts for about 10% of road accident fatalities worldwide. [3] Road accident contributed 30.2% to all kind of natural and unnatural accidental deaths during 2005[4]. According to the Institute of Road Traffic Education (2006) New Delhi, out of the estimated 1.4 million serious road accidents/ collisions occurring annually in India, hardly 0.4 million are recorded.[5] This indicates that the surveillance system for vehicular accidents is not well established in India. Epidemiological data on road traffic accidents in India have been reported but there is no proper correlation with head injury. The study correlating head injury with road traffic accidents in Delhi was done in 1979 since then there have been significant social and demographic changes including changes in life style, population and number of vehicles. Continuous growth in number of motor vehicles, increase in population and poor access to health care are some of the important factors in fatalities.