The toll of traffic-related fatalities in a metropolitan Italian area through the experience of the Department of Legal Medicine

The toll of traffic-related fatalities in a metropolitan Italian area through the experience of the Department of Legal Medicine

Despite the introduction of new traffic laws in Italy, traffic-related deaths are still a huge burden. The study presents data and medico-legal issues behind traffic deaths in Milan between 2001 and 2012 (1506 traffic-related deaths). Data were collected from the database of the Department of Legal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of injury control and safety promotion Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 197 - 205
Main Authors: Amadasi, Alberto, Cerutti, Elisa, Spagnoli, Laura, Blandino, Alberto, Rancati, Alessandra, Gallo, Carlotta, Mancini, Elisabetta, Rizzi, Vittorio, Cattaneo, Cristina
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Taylor & Francis 02-04-2016
Subjects:
Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data
Accidents, Traffic - trends
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
autopsy
Cause of Death
Child
Child, Preschool
Cities - epidemiology
Craniocerebral Trauma - mortality
Databases, Factual
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
injuries
Italy - epidemiology
Male
metropolitan area
Middle Aged
Motorcycles - statistics & numerical data
Multiple Trauma - mortality
Sex Factors
Survival Rate
traffic accident
traffic-related deaths
Wounds and Injuries - etiology
Wounds and Injuries - mortality
Young Adult
MED, Italy
metropolitan area
traffic-related deaths
traffic accident
injuries
autopsy
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Summary:Despite the introduction of new traffic laws in Italy, traffic-related deaths are still a huge burden. The study presents data and medico-legal issues behind traffic deaths in Milan between 2001 and 2012 (1506 traffic-related deaths). Data were collected from the database of the Department of Legal Medicine: 79.4% males and 20.6% females (mean age 44.14). The target group concerned traumatic deaths as a consequence of the accident as well as deaths not directly related to an accident. Although 6.1% were non-traumatic deaths (cause of death unconnected to the accident, i.e. because of a heart attack, or when death occurred after survival and cause of death was not related certainly to the accident), multiple skeletal/visceral injuries were the main cause of death (57.9%), occurring in motorcyclists the most (63.7%). Injuries to the skull and brain were the second cause of death (25.9%). Victims were mostly males (79.4%) and drivers (77.6%). Fifty-five per cent were deaths on-scene, while 45% survived. Other variables were also considered: medications, medical history, and drugs/alcohol/smoke. A downward trend in traffic-related fatalities was evident, but the toll is still high. This study should be a glimpse at the actual situation, since it is indicative of a metropolitan area where autopsies are systematically performed.
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content type line 23
ISSN:1745-7300
1745-7319
DOI:10.1080/17457300.2014.992347