[Characterization of motorcylists admitted in the emergency hopsital of Porto Alegre]

This article reports part of a quantitative study characterizing motorcyclists, who were victims of traffic accidents and were treated at the Emergency Hospital ofPorto Alegre, RS, Brazil, from June to August 2002. The sample included 63 motorcyclists: 34% had injuries in the lower limbs, 22% in the upper limbs; 18% in the head, 9% in the hips, 6% in the abdomen, 6% in the thorax, and 5% in the column; 28% out of them were motorcycle couriers. There are several ways of considering traffic accidents, which are produced by a combination between subjective and social-cultural points of view. Qualitative studies are needed for further understanding traffic accidents.