PATTERN AND DISTRIBUTION OF INJURIES IN FATAL ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT CASES.

The present study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College & Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Total 602 dead bodies were brought for postmortem examination in year 2008, out of which, 334cases were road traffic accident deaths which accounted for 55.48%. This study included 100 cases. Most common injuries were abrasions (86%) followed by lacerations (75%). and contusion (58%). Incised wounds were found in only 2% of cases. Most common site involved was head and face (85%) followed by lower limb (65%), upper limb (54%), chest (48%) and abdomen (36%). Head injury was the dominant cause of death (57%) followed by abdominal injuries (19%) and thoracic injuries (7%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]