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Objective: To evaluate the effect of interventions at a highway, in the occurrence and severity of injuries by traffic accidents., Method: It was made a comparative analysis of two cross-sectional studies in 1994 and 1996., Results: In 1994 the rate was 7.96 accidents/ 100,000 vehicles and in 1996 8.49 / 100,000 vehicles. The increase was not significant (p>0.05). The rate of injured drivers in 1994 was of 2.10 / 100,000 vehicles and of 1.35 / 100,000 vehicles in 1996, which was a significant decrease (p<0.000). The self-report of use of seat belt (63.46% versus 76.6%), the small vehicles involved in accidents (7.9% versus 37.7%), nocturnal schedule (23.7% versus 31.8%) and in Mexico-Cuernavaca direction (45% versus 66.7%), were more frequent in 1996 (p<0.05). The risk of injury, using a logistic regression model, between drivers exposed to the interventions (1996) and those that were not exposed (1994) adjusted by: age, speed, use of seat belt, alcohol intake and external cause, showed a protective effect of the interventions at the highway (OR 0.42 CI95% 0.27-0.66)., Conclusion: There is an evident need of multisectorial approaches in the study and evaluation of the interventions in the field of the traffic accidents. The present research is a clear example of the repercussions over health of interventions developed by the transportation sector at the highway.

Aims: To analyze the association between alcohol intake and the severity of injuries sustained from traffic accidents on a Mexican highway., Design: An observational unit evaluated drivers involved in auto accidents., Setting: Mexico-Cuernavaca Highway, Mexico. A 60 km-long road with many altitude variations and sharp curves., Participants: Three hundred and eighty-six drivers involved in traffic accidents between March and September, 1994., Measurements: A questionnaire was applied to the driver, an occupant or witness at the site of the accident to collect information about the driver, vehicle characteristics, type of accident, day-night occurrence, road section (Mexico-Cuernavaca or Cuernavaca-Mexico) and weather conditions. A physical examination was carried out to determine the presence and severity of injuries., Findings: There were 177 injured people, including 12 deaths, with rates of 67.5 injuries and 4.58 deaths per 10,000 km driven. Variables associated with alcohol intake (p < 0.05) included: severity of injuries, non-use of seat belt, vehicle size and occurrence at night. Risk factors for severe injuries were: alcohol intake (adjusted OR 6.1 CI 95% 1.6-24.0); non-use of seat belt (OR 4.9 CI 2.2-10.8), age < 25 years (OR 3.6 CI 1.0-12.7), age > 54 years (OR 6.0 CI 1.4-25.0), speed > 90 km/h (OR 2.6 CI 1.1-6.3) and occurrence at night (OR 2.6 CI 1.3-5.3)., Conclusions: Alcohol intake is a major risk factor for severe injuries from highway traffic accidents. Its association with other risk factors such as non-use of seat belt and excessive speed suggests the importance of designing interventions aimed at reducing alcohol intake among automobile drivers.

Traffic accidents are a well-known public health problem worldwide. In Mexico research into risk factors for motor involving vehicles accidents and their consequences has recently been taken into account. The relevant literature does not normally describe the methodological aspects involved in the collection of primary data, since most studies have used secondary data the good quality and validity of which are assumed. The paper presented seeks to discuss and share with researchers in this field, some of the methodological aspects to be considered in the attempt to recreate the scene of the accident and obtain information approximating to reality. The measurements in situ of, such traffic accident variables as injury, use of seat belt, speed and alcohol intake are discussed.

Objective: To analyze the association between the severity of car accident injuries and the use of safety belts., Material and Methods: The unit of observation and analysis was car drivers in the Mexico-Cuernavaca toll highway. Variables included were those of car drivers, the vehicles and the physical environment at the accident site. Statistical analysis was carried out by means of chi square, odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals and logistic regression. Data was collected in 422 questionnaires for 324 accident events., Results: There were 177 injured people, including 12 deaths, with rates of 67.5 injuries and 4.58 deaths per 10 000 kilometers driven. Variables associated with not using a safety belt (p < 0.05) were: alcohol drinking, vehicle size, night-time and road section. Risk factors for severe injuries were: not using a safety belt (raw OR 4.9, 95% CI 2.2-10.8, adjusted OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.13-7.66); age < 25 years (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.0-12.7) and > 54 (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.4-25.0); alcohol drinking (OR 10.8, 95% CI 3.8-30.4); and night time (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.8)., Conclusions: Theses findings suggest the need to formulate interventions aimed at enforcing the use of safety belts and prevention of related factors.