Fatal road accidents in Brescia: Comparison between three different periods

Abstract

The authors examine cases of mortality resulting from road accidents in the Brescia area as documented in the postmortem examination reports held at the Forensic Science Institute of the University of Brescia relative to the period 1997–2002. The study was subdivided according to the categories of persons involved: for each category, the epidemiological data are analyzed with respect to age (subdivided into ten year bands), the type of accident, sex, the other party involved (if any), the categories of the persons involved and the location of the fatal injury (according to the medical examiner of the cause of death as entered on the autopsy report). The results are then compared with similar studies undertaken by the Forensic Science Institute in Brescia for the periods 1985–1990 and 1991–1996.

In the period 1985–1990 there were 761 deaths and in the period 1991–1996 820, while in the period 1997–2002 there were 641: a slight reduction can therefore be observed in the total number of fatal road accidents in the more recent period.

In the light of the data, one can ascertain a decrease in the overall number of fatal road accidents is observed, while on the other hand, there is a slight increase in the number of head injuries and a greater involvement in the most recent period of persons between the ages of 21 and 30 years old. This finding is probably due either to a scant regard on the part of younger people for the safety measures imposed by law (speed limits, safety distances, use of safety belts and crash helmets) or to the often excessive speed of those involved in accidents, aggravated by unfavorable weather conditions and involving the higher socio‐economic classes.