Head injury in road traffic accidents. A prospective Study in Trøndelag, Norway, 1979-80

The purpose of the present prospective investigation was to study the epidemiology of head injuries sustained in road traffic accidents. The characteristics of all 503 head-injured patients admitted to hospitals in the two counties of Trøndelag province, Norway, in 1979 and 1980 are described. The annual incidence was 89 per 100 000 inhabitants. There was a male preponderance in all categories of victims. The highest male to female ratio was found in motorcyclists and mopedists (6.3:1). Pedal cycle accidents accounted for 33% of all accidents, constituting the most common cause of head injury on the roads in the period from May to the end of September. There were more pedal cycle accidents in the present series than in previous studies on road traffic accidents.