This paper presents some results of a study of 1683 injured people, treated at a medical centre in Croatia between 1987 and 1991, after being seriously injured in road traffic accidents. 71.3% of the injured were male, and 15.1% were children. The average age group of the adult injured was 40 to 49 years. Most of the injured people had consumed alcohol. These cases included polytrauma (56%), head and brain injuries (19%), and multiple injuries (10.3%). Correlations were analysed between: (1) alcoholism and type and severity of injury; (2) type of injury, type of road user (driver, passenger or pedestrian) and vehicle type. 59.9% of the accidents were caused directly or indirectly by alcohol. Other psychophysical conditions of the patients included: (1) driving errors in road traffic; (2) insufficient knowledge and driving experience; (3) diseases; and (4) fatigue. These conditions were less often found than alcoholism. The motorcycle drivers and pedestrians had polytrauma with life-threatening injuries. The car drivers were more addicted to alcohol. More and more young, alcoholised people were found in road traffic trauma; this is a very serious social problem.
Abstract