doiSerbia

Biometeorological phases influence pedestrian trauma

Gajić Vladimir (Zavod za hitnu medicinsku pomoć, Kragujevac)
Milojević Dragan (Zavod za hitnu medicinsku pomoć, Kragujevac)
Rašković Aleksandar (Zavod za hitnu medicinsku pomoć, Kragujevac)
Smailagić Jasminka (Republički hidrometeorološki zavod, Beograd)
Đonović Nela (Institut za javno zdravlje, Kragujevac)
Šijački Ana (Urgentni centar, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)

Introduction. Biometeorological circumstances have a big influence on all traffic participants, especially reflexes, moving coordination and perception ability. With a lower attention and drivers’ and pedestrians’ concentration, there was a larger amount of pedestrian trauma in certain biometeorological phases. Objective. The aim of this study was to establish the correlation between pedestrian trauma and biometeorological phases. Methods. The comparative analysis of everyday biometeorological phases for the city of Kragujevac determined by RHMI and the evidence of knocked-down pedestrians from the Kragujevac traffic police for the period 2003-2008. Results. There were 6,127 accidents, with 696 knocked pedestrians in 666 (10.87%) accidents. Most of them happened in 2003 (135), and the fewest in 2005 (90). Most accidents were during December (74), the fewest were in June (46). The fewest accidents were during 04-05-06 hour interval (by 2), most during 13-14 hours (61). There were 374 males and 349 females. Most of the males (by 60) were 0-10 and 11-20 years old, most of the females (74) were 11-20 years old. There were 443 pedestrians who suffered slight body injuries (112 were 11-20), 225 suffered heavy and 28 had lethal injuries (most over 70). As provokers, the pedestrians suffered because of improper crossing roads (185), while as a casualties, they suffered due to speeding of vechicles (285). Most accidents happened in biometeorological phases 4 (168) and 9 (151), the fewest in phase 10 (4). Conclussion. Statistical analysis shows a significant correlation between pedestrians’ accidents and biometeorological phases, when the most accidents occurred during penetrations of cold fronts, while there was a sudden switch of weather conditions from warm-dry to cold-wet weather.

Keywords: pedestrian trauma, biometeorological phases, weather influence