Evaluation of the Victims of Road Traffic Crashes Presenting in Hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria. A Prospective Pilot Study

Background: Road Traffic Crashes are indeed major contributor of disability and death globally. Accurate and reliable data on actual number of victims of road traffic crashes in various countries is required to understand the burden of road traffic crashes and to implement interventions to reduce crashes in any particular country. In Nigeria, there are often conflicting data from various agencies and sources on the actual number of road traffic crashes and the number of affected victims. This study therefore evaluates the victims of road traffic crashes presenting to the hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria and compares the findings with data arising from the Federal Road Safety Commission over the same period.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study of victims of road traffic crashes presenting in the hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria. Data of victims of road traffic collisions presenting to the hospitals in the FCT was collected from all identified hospitals, over a period of 3 months. Data was analysed and results presented as descriptive statistics.

Results: During the period under study, a total of 819 victims of RTC were recorded from the various hospitals across the FCT. The bulk of the patients were within (16 – 40) years (n=598{71.9%} with males constituting about 75.3% of the victims. One hundred and twenty seven (15.5%) of the injuries was fatal. About two-third of the victims were taken to the public hospitals (n = 543 {66.3%}). Majority of the victims of RTC were passengers in the motorized vehicles including motorcycle (n =410 {49%}) and pedestrians constituted 17.9% (147) of the victims.

Conclusion: This pilot study confirms the high incidence of RTC in the FCT Abuja Nigeria and the existing disparity between the data of victims of road traffic crashes emanating from the hospitals and data published by the Government agencies in Nigeria during the same period. There is the need to harmonise data from various stakeholders in an attempt to establishing a comprehensive and reliable database of victims of road traffic crashes in Nigeria.