THE MOTORIZED TWO-WHEELER POPULATION HAS INCREASED IN DELHI BY MORE THAN 300% IN THE LAST DECADE. BICYCLISTS AND MOTORCYCLISTS ACCOUNTED FOR 244 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DEATHS IN DELHI IN 1980. THE PRESENT STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE HEAD INJURY PATTERNS OF TWO-WHEELER RIDERS ADMITTED TO A HOSPITAL IN DELHI. A TOTAL OF 87 CRASH VICTIMS WERE STUDIED OVER A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT COLLISION PATTERNS, AGE DISTRIBUTION, AVERAGE INJURY SEVERITY AND DRIVING EXPERIENCE OF PATIENTS ADMITTED WERE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE REPORTED IN STUDIES CONDUCTED IN INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES. A VAST MAJORITY OF THE INJURIES WERE IN TEMPORAL, PARIETAL AND FACIAL AREAS. INJURY DATA INDICATED THAT HELMETS WHEN USED ARE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING OR AMELIORATING HEAD INJURY.(Author/publisher).
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