Road Traffic Accidents

Question 1

What is a road traffic accident?

Answer 1

RTA is an health related event associated with an undesirable outcome, injury to the body, loss of life, damage to property and interruption in business activities.
It involves the vehicles, pedestrian, passenger, drivers and even animals.

Question 2

What is the place, person, time distribution of RTAs?

Answer 2

Place:
World wide
Endemic and epidemic patterns in Zambia
700,000 lost yearly to RTA worldwide.
Person:
Age: young drivers (15-24yrs),
Male>Female.
Time:
Weekends, Nights, Festive periods

Question 3

What are the determinants of RTAs?

Answer 3

Agent:
Vehicle: Poor maintenance: tyres, brake, steering, horn, overloading
Host:
low education
Medical condition: heart attack, impaired vision, fatigue, epilepsy
Behaviour: smoking, alcohol
Risk taking: over speeding, non-use of protective devices, violation of traffic signs, etc
Environment:
Road:
Narrow road
Pot holes
Poor lighting
Weather: Bad weather.

Question 4

Describe the RTA prevention and control methods directed at hosts

Answer 4

1. Health education: to drivers, pedestrian and passengers on road signs.
2. Lifestyle modification: stop smoking, alcohol and other drugs while driving.
3. Imposing penalties for smokers and drug abusers
4. Use of preventive measures while driving such as seat belt

Question 5

Describe the RTA prevention and control methods directed at the agent

Answer 5

Vehicle design and maintenance

Question 6

Describe the RTA prevention and control methods directed at environment

Answer 6

Road maintenance
Law enforcement agencies
Enforcement of driving test, medical fitness, vehicular inspection e.t.c
Conducting Research on RTA and its determinants
Traffic rule and regulations