Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Transport 157 November 2004 Issue TR4 Pages 231–237 Paper 13538 Received 16/10/2003 Accepted 14/05/2004 Keywords: roads & highways/safety & hazards/ statistical analysis Mahir Go¨kdag˘ Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Atatu¨rk University, Erzurum, Turkey M. Dursun Kaya Assistant Professor, Vocational College of Erzurum, Atatu¨rk University, Erzurum, Turkey Ahmet Atalay Research Assistant, Vocational College of Narman, Atatu¨rk University, Erzurum, Turkey A. Samet Has¸ilog˘lu Assistant Professor, Department of Electronic Engineering, Atatu¨rk University, Erzurum, Turkey Injuries and fatalities in Turkish road traffic accidents M. Go¨kdag˘, M. D. Kaya, A. Atalay and A. S. Has ¸ ilog˘lu This study aims to describe quantitatively the injuries and fatalities from high rates of serious road traffic accidents (RTAs) in Turkey, to identify any trends during the period 1980–2000, to compare the results with those of developed countries and to evaluate the information available on possible causes with a view to identifying the most useful direction for future research. Data were obtained from the Turkish police, State Institute of Statistics, health sources and, for international comparison, from the published literature. Estimates of trends were made using linear regression. The results revealed that during the period 1980–2000, the rates of RTAs per 100 000 population and per 100 000 motor vehicles increased. Deaths in each RTA increased in the short period (1980–1987) and declined during the period 1987–2000. RTA injuries during the period 1980–2000 increased steadily. Between 1980 and 2000 the severity rate (the ratio of fatalities per 1000 RTAs) decreased threefold in Turkey. Turkey’s rates were compared to a number of selected countries. Further investigation requiring close collaboration between police and health authorities is therefore essential. 1. INTRODUCTION The lifestyle of the people of Turkey has changed remarkably during the last 30–35 years. Gross domestic product and per capita incomes have grown rapidly, leading to increases in population, and a greater number of motor vehicles and roadway networks. Between 1980 and 2000, the population of Turkey increased at an annual average growth rate of 2%. Likewise, the number of registered motor vehicles increased at an annual average growth rate of 7 . 6%. 1 Rising numbers of road traffic accidents (RTAs) and consequent increases in injuries and fatalities accompanied these changes. According to official reports of the State Institute of Statistics Prime Ministry RTA Statistics in Turkey, 2 the RTA problem is now the second most common cause of death in the country and the leading cause of serious injuries and disabilities among adults. 3 In Turkey in 2000, 115 877 people were injured, of whom 3941 (3 . 4%) died. 2 The problem therefore constitutes a major concern for public health and the country’s economy, and a sizeable burden to Turkey’s healthcare and economic resources. In most developed countries, the problem of RTAs has attracted increasing research and safety interventions, resulting in a reduction of the size of the problem in many of these countries. 4–8 The objective of this paper is to describe quantitatively the injuries and fatalities from RTAs in Turkey, to identify any trends during the period 1980–2000 and to compare these data with the equivalent rates in developed and developing countries. Attempts have also been made to evaluate the possible causes of RTAs in Turkey using routinely collected data from the Turkish police sources. It is likely that this effort will help to establish the baseline facts about the problem of RTAs in Turkey and therefore the most useful direction that future national research and programmes on roadway traffic safety should take. 2. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted, based on the data obtained from Turkish official reports on RTAs, RTA injuries and deaths, for people of all ages in Turkey during the period 1980–2000. High estimates for accident reporting are claimed by police authorities and are achieved by insisting that all garages and repair establishments ignore any vehicle involved in an accident unless a police report on the accident is produced, with severe penalties for both drivers and garages that fail to comply with these measures. According to Turkish police sources, the definition of an RTA includes all traffic-related accidents that result in injury or death to road users (drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists); the definition of RTA injuries includes all traffic-related, non-fatal injuries; and the definition of RTA fatalities includes all traffic-related deaths that occur within 30 days from the accident. The annual crude rates of RTAs, RTA deaths and injuries (per 100 000 population and per 100 000 registered motor vehicles) were calculated to estimate the lay trends of the RTA problem in Turkey. The severity rates of injury and death per 1000 RTAs (the ratio of injuries and fatalities to accidents) were also calculated to quantify the risk of injury or death in RTAs. Empirical data for the rates of RTAs, RTA injuries and RTA fatalities were obtained from the Ministry of Interior Annual Statistical Report, 2 R.T. General Directorate of Highways, 9 State Institute of Statistics of Prime Ministry RTA Statistics, 2 State Institute of Statistics of Prime Ministry Annual Statistical Reports 1 and the MoH Annual Statistics Report. 3 Population denominator data were obtained from Turkey Annual Statistical Abstract. 10 The data for Transport 157 Issue TR4 Go¨kdag˘ et al. 231 Injuries and fatalities in Turkish road traffic accidents Downloaded by [] on [14/02/23]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.