Factors related to pedestrians mortality following road traffic accidents in Tehran and Alborz Provinces, Iran

Abstract

<strong>Background and aims:</strong> This study aimed to investigate the deaths and injuries following pedestrian traffic accidents and factors associated with death of pedestrian in Tehran and Alborz provinces. <br /><strong>Methods:</strong> In this cross-sectional study all traffic accidents related to pedestrians in Tehran and Alborz provinces reported from March 21, 2013 to March 21, 2014 by the traffic police were studied. The Database related to death of Legal Medicine Organization was used in order to determine the exact number of deaths. The standard population of World Health Organization was used in order to calculate the age-standardized incidence rate. We used Chi-square test, T-test and logistic regression to extract statistically significant associations. P-value under 0.05 was considered significant. <br /><strong>Result:</strong> The age-standardized mortality and injury rate were respectively, 6.1 and 65.1 per 100,000 populations. The pedestrian's road traffic (PRT) mortality and injury rates in men were 3 and 1.5 times more than women respectively. Statistically significant relationships were observed between the pedestrian's age, the direct cause in the accident, classification of road, month of occurrence, days of week, type of vehicle, accident location and pedestrian action with the death of pedestrians. <br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Given that the highest incidence rate of death was observed in the age group over 65 years old, it is necessary to pay special attention to the physiologic characteristics of this age group by predicting safety plans and also to provide more secure conditions for this high risk group in accident-prone road sections. <strong> </strong>