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Injuries in the vulnerable road user fatalities; a study from Sri Lanka.
P A S Edirisinghe1, I D G Kitulwatte1, U D Senarathne1
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Thalagolla Road, Ragama, Sri Lanka.
Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
|October 8, 2014
Summary
Forensic pathologists can identify some pedestrian fatalities using specific injury patterns, but caution is advised. Elderly males, head injuries, and skull fractures are more common in pedestrians, though not all factors are definitive.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Traffic Safety
- Public Health
Background:
- Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) are at high risk in traffic collisions, especially in low-income countries.
- VRU deaths often exceed those of vehicle occupants.
- Forensic pathologists determine cause of death and can offer opinions on road user type.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if pedestrians can be reliably differentiated from other Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) based on post-mortem findings.
- To identify specific injury patterns associated with pedestrian fatalities.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective descriptive study of 328 VRU fatalities from 2005-2012.
- Data extracted from post-mortem and toxicology reports using a pro-forma.
- Statistical analysis using SPSS version 16.
Main Results:
- Pedestrians constituted 48% of fatalities, followed by two-wheeled vehicle riders (45%).
- Elderly males, road crossing behavior, skull fractures, brain injuries, and head injury-related deaths were significantly more common in pedestrians (p < 0.001).
- Injury counts, specific external injuries (ribs, limbs), and internal organ damage showed no significant association with pedestrian status.
Conclusions:
- Certain factors like age, sex, and specific head/skull injuries can suggest pedestrian involvement.
- However, many injury variables lack significant association, making definitive differentiation challenging.
- Forensic pathologists must exercise caution when opining on road user type without corroborative evidence.
