Epidemiology of Road Traffic Accidents in Riyadh Region in the Last Five Years (2019-2023)

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) have become a significant public health concern that requires quick attention. RTAs cause the bulk of hospital admissions due to trauma globally. The incidence of trauma caused by RTA was the highest cause of trauma-related admission (62.5%). These RTAs have the potential to cause harm to one or more bodily parts, and in extreme circumstances, they may even be fatal. They are a major contributor to early-life impairment and death. Saudi Arabia has the greatest RTA-associated mortality. RTAs account for 13% of the Saudi population's disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.25 million people die in RTAs each year, despite constant attempts to lessen the toll of these incidents on healthcare systems. Twenty to fifty million individuals experience non-fatal injuries, such as trauma and disability, necessitating extended hospital admissions. By 2030, road traffic accidents are predicted to rank the seventh cause of mortality, if the ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare are not made.

Depending on the kind of harm, RTIs can be classified into several categories. RTIs can be of any kind, ranging from cuts, piercings, and crush wounds to internal organ damage, fractures, and amputations. These injuries might impact almost any part of the body. The lower limbs were the most damaged body region in victims of RTAs, followed by the chest, upper limbs, head, and spine, as concluded by a study done between July 2014 and July 2017.

According to different researches, bigger, substantial organs, including the spleen, liver, and kidneys, are most frequently harmed by intra-abdominal lesions brought on by RTAs. There may be several pros to this classification of RTI frequency based on the type of injury and the body location impacted. According to a published research, individuals with serious brain and pelvic injuries have a high death risk. As a result, the clinicians working in the emergency room could better assess the seriousness of each individual emergency case and properly prioritize them.

Inclusion criteria

-All the Road Traffic Accidents victims; who attended the emergency room or admitted to the hospital during the study period.

Exclusion criteria

-Any injury on the road without involvement of a vehicle (e.g. a person slipping and falling on the road and sustaining injury) or injury involving a stationary vehicle (e.g. persons being injured while washing or loading a vehicle).