Characterization of traffic accidents during the festival and impact of Phrae Province 2551-2553

Abstract

                 This descriptive research aims to study road accidents during seasons from year 2551-2553. By selecting particular patients or victims those were injured or died from traffic accidents during the New Year and Songkran festivals. The data from two private hospitals and eight public hospitals are analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square Test to determine the relationship between gender, age, drunk, type of vehicles, delivery methods, severity levels, also economic impacts from road accidents in Phare province. The results show that the injury rate decreases slightly from 113.5 to 104.1 per hundred thousand populations. The death rate is between 2.3-2.5%. Songkran festival has the injury rate higher than the new year festival. The highest is from Nongmuangkhai district (417.1), followed by Denchai (385.0) and Rongkwang (373.1). Ages mostly are between 15-29 years (43.1%) and 30-59 years (36.6%). The percentage of admittance at the hospital is 30.4 percents. There is only 3.4 percents for severe cases. Most are drivers 69.7 percents. Motorcyclists without safety helmets reach to 94.2 percents,mostly found in the Songkran festival. The car drivers not fastened seat belts is 67.0 percents, mostly found in New Year. Half of them were drunk. Accidents from motorcycles contain the largest percentage of 77.1, followed by cars 12.2. Most accidents were found in rural roads (64.3%) followed by highway roads (23.%). Most of injured and death ones were sent to hospital by witness or their relatives(66.0%), by Basic Life Support units (BLS) (8.5%) and by First Response units (FR) (8.3%). Drinking and the types of delivery were significantly correlated with the severity of traffic accidents (p-value= 0.05). Costs accumulated from property damages, medical and incomes that patients and caregivers could not do their jobs were 154,840,752 Bahts. Denchai district had the largest loss 38,797,902 Bahts. Total medical cost/year is 2.9 to 3.1 million Bahts.

The suggestions to relevant agencies are to intensify the preventive levels to reduce the injury rate, especially in Nongmuangkhai Denchai and Rongkwang districts. The strategies should aim to reduce drinking alcohol behaviors in young male motorcyclists age between 15-29 years in the rural areas. Using safety helmets and seat belts while driving must be applied seriously. The use of Emergency Medical Services should be more publicized, also the results from this study.