Motorcycle trauma in a St Lucian hospital

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle that is used worldwide for transportation. The use of the motorcycle has resulted in trauma that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to document the pattern of motorcycle accidents and the demographics of the cyclists in St Lucia.

This is a 15-month prospective study on all patients with motorcycle injuries that reported to the emergency room at the Victoria Hospital. Information on patients: age, gender helmet use, intake of alcohol/drugs before the motorcycling and mechanism of injury were obtained and filled into a prepared proforma by the attending physician. Those admitted were followed-up to know the outcome and complications of treatment.

Total number of patients studied was 136 in 115 accidents, males (M) were 127 while females (F) were 9, with M:F ratio of 14.1:1.0. There were 105, 28 and 3 riders, passengers and pedestrians respectively; 87.5% of the patients were below the age of 35 years. Fifty-three per cent of the accidents occurred over the weekend. The limbs were mostly injured, constituting 81.9% of the parts of the body injured.

The study revealed that young and productive males were mainly injured in motorcycle accidents and the injuries were more in the limbs. More than fifty per cent of the accidents were found to occur during the weekends and more than fifty per cent of the motorcyclists were not wearing crash helmets.