Severity and Causes of Accidents

on Motorways M-1 and M-2 During the Year 2015

By

Dr. Saba Rizwan

MBBS

Registration No SUIT – 15-01-086-0021

For
Masters in Public Health

Supervised by
Professor Dr. Iqbal Ahmad Khan
MBBS, MCPS, DPH, FCPS, MBA, FNAMS, SPMC, FRSTM&H

Dean Public Health Sciences

Sarhad University, Peshawar
Islamabad Campus
Introduction

Accident can be defined as an un-anticipated and detrimental event; a misfortune

unexpected and with no obvious cause. Traffic collision, also known as a motor vehicle
collision among others, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian,
animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction, such as a tree or utility pole. Traffic
collisions may result in injury, death and property damage. A road traffic injury is a fatal or
non-fatal injury incurred as a result of a collision on a public road involving at least one
moving vehicle.

There are different types of accidents like rear impact, side-impact, head-on, roll on, run
off, single car accidents, multi vehicle collision, collisions involving pedestrians, cyclists or
animals etc.

According to WHO, globally a probable 1.25 million people are exterminated in road
collisions every year and as much as 50 million are wounded.Road traffic injuries account for
2.1% global mortality and 23% of all injury deaths worldwide1. Around 238,000 people die in
road crashes every year in South Asian countries. It is estimated that between 7,000 and 10,000
people die in road traffic accidents each year in Pakistan2.

Disability adjusted life years (DALYs) due to road traffic accident all over the world, in
all ages, is 41.2 (millions) which is 27% of total DALYs. Region wise DALYs is 4.6 in
America, 3.7 in European regions, 9.6 in Western Pacific region, 7.2 in Africa, 5.1 in East
Mediterranean region and 11 in South East Asia3. Low-income and middle-income countries
account for about 85% of the deaths and for 90% of the annual DALYs lost because of road
traffic injury.Injuries due to motor vehicles are the leading cause of disability and mortality
particularly in young adults, and comprise 80% of the male casualties.

It is projected that globally by 2020 road traffic crashes will account for about
23 million deaths and road traffic injuries will be the third leading cause of death and disability
as compared to their present ranking of ninth.

Globally the economic cost of road traffic injuries is about US$ 518 billion with low-
income and middle-income countries accounting for more than US$ 65 billion. It costs between

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1% and 1.5% of GNP in low-income and middle-income countries and 2% of GNP in high-
income countries4.

Accidents are majorly caused by careless driving, dozing at wheel, tyre burst, brake
failure and pedestrian crossing5. Proper traffic guidance and control system to guide road users
ensuring safe movement of vehicles has been recommended and some of the low cost facilities
such as pedestrian crossings underpasses near Lahore, dozing alert alarm to minimize dozing,
tyre checking gauges to counter tyre burst, training to avoid brake failure, and advertisement
through print and electronic media to increase awareness have also been proposed in order to
improve the safety of the road and minimize the accidents.

There are many potential benefits of reducing road accidents to individuals which
include less risk of being killed or injured, less chance of imprisonment, lower insurance costs,
less frustrations, less traffic hold ups, more control, more responsibility and more opportunity
to active participation in society. Community benefits include reduced financial costs of road
accidents to a country’s economy, less stress, lower crime rate, more civil society, better health
care and improved civil responsibility in people.

Road traffic injuries are a major but neglected Public health challenge that requires
concreted efforts for effective and sustainable prevention of all the systems with which people
have to deal every day, road traffic systems are the most complex and the most dangerous.

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Aim:
To determine severity and causes of accidents on motorways M-1 and M-2 during the

year 2015.

Objectives:
1. To grade the accidents on the basis of severity.
2. To look into various causes of accidents.
3. To study time distribution of accidents.
4. To make recommendations on the basis of study results.

Methodology:
Study design: Descriptive survey
Study site: M-1 and M-2 motorway
Sample size: All accident cases during 2015
Sampling technique: Census study
Data collection tool: Preliminary accident report, Flash report (Form No:
1.1/ops), Initial information report (Form No: 1.2/ops),
Follow up report (Form No: 1.3/ops) (Attached as
Annexure A, B, C & D respectively)
Data analysis: Microsoft Excel 2010
Duration of study: 3 months

Ethical considerations:
1. Study will be carried out after approval by the Ethical Review Board of Sarhad
University of Peshawar.
2. Formal approval will be obtained from National Highway and Motorway Police
Authority.

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References:

1. World Health Organization (2010), United Nation Decade of Action for Road Safety
(2010-2011).
2. Ahmed, A (2007), “Road Safety in Pakistan.” National Road Safety Secretariat
Ministry of Communications, Government of Pakistan.
3. World Health Organization (WHO), (2004), world report on road traffic injury
prevention, world health organization.
4. Guert, C., Astrop, A., and Jacobs, G. (1997). “Socioeconomic aspects of road accidents
in developing countries.” TRR, 247.
5. Haider, S.W (2001). “Experience of Lahore-Islamabad Motorways Project – Lessons
learnt and suggestions for future improvements”, 68the session of Pakistan Engineering
Congress, January 19-21, 2001.

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 Annexure A

National Highways & Motorways Police

PRELIMINARY ACCIDENT REPORT

Beat (No. & Name):__________ Sector _________ Zone: ________

Dated: ______
1 Type 2 Date of 3 Time of Accident 4 Location
Accident
5 Time of 6 Response 7 Info received via W.less M PTCL Other
Report Time o
b
9 Reason for delay, if any
11 Bane/Rank of Officer(s) attending
Injured Name/address/CNIC
Death
12 Minor Serious
Details of
Casuality

Details of Loss / Details / Estimated Value

13 damage of
Property
FIR No Under Police
District Contact No
Details of FIR lodged by Dated section station
14
local police

15 Brief Facts

Apparent Cause of Accident

16
17 Driving License Issue by District / Province NH&MP DLA

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 Annexure B
Form No: 1.1/ops
National Highways & Motorways Police

FLASH REPORT No…………Dated………….

Sector Beat Location Time Info received through Name/rank of sender

Category Accident Crime Other Type See Form 1.2(b)/Ops for ticking
Brief Facts
Give details of what happened, how happened, why happened, who was involved.

Details of Causality /Loss of Property

Give details of loss of life, injury, loss/damage of property or recovery of persons / property /
arms & ammo / Narcotics etc

Action By NH&MP

Name/Rank of NHNP
Officer(s) attending:
Action by Local Police, if required

Sign/Name/Rank of receiver
Time/Date/Location
Note : IIR to follow : Yes/No

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 Annexure C
Form No: 1.2/Ops
National Highways & Motorways Police

INITIAL INFORMATION REPORT

IIR No /2015 /B- / M- Dated: ______

1 Category Accident 2 Type Fatal 3 Date of 4 Time of
Accident Accident
5 Location 6 Time of 7 Date of 8 Info
report Report received

W.less
via

Other
PTCL
Mob
9 Reason for delay, if any 10 Name,
address &
cont No of
sender

11 Name/Rank of Officer(s) attending

12 Brief Facts

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Form No: 1.2/Ops S No:
National Highways & Motorways Police

13 Details of Details / Estimated Value

Loss
/damage
of
Property
14 Details Death Inured Name/address/CNIC
Causality Minor Serious

15 Details of Name / Parentage / Address / CNIC

Arrests /
detention,
if any

16 Recovery Name / Parentage / Address / CNIC

of Persons
/ Kidnapee

17 Recovery Give details/quantity/Value

of
Property/
valuables,
if any

18 Recovery Give details /quantity/make etc

of Arms /
Amo, if
any

19 Recovery Give details /quantity/Type etc

of Narcotic
/ drugs etc,
if any

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Form No: 1.2/Ops S No:
National Highways & Motorways Police

20 Any Other Give details

21 Details of any Give details

resistance /
use of force by
NHMP officer
22 Details of FIR, if FIR No Under Police District Contact No
previously or Dated section station
subsequently lodged by
local police (attach copy)
23 Details of Give details
persons/property
/Arms-Amo /narcotics
etc handed over to local
police
24 Handing/taking over NHMP Local Police
Name of officer

Rank

Date/Time

Signature

25 Any other Issue

26 Certification Moharrar Admn CPO Sector Status of Case

Commander SUI Closed
Name This will
Rank require
Signature / follow up
date Report
NB: 3 copies to be printed: 1 Zone, 1 Sector, 1 Beat

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 Annexure D
Form No: 1.3/Ops

NATIONAL HIGHWAYS & MOTORWAYS POLICE

Follow up Report
No………….. Dated………………. Ref IIR No………./2015: B-………/ M…………
1 Details/Facts

2 Attach any documents / FIR etc required:

3 Status *SUI Closed
4. Sign/Name/Rank of
Date
Officer reporting
5 Forwarded by CPO Date
Sign/Name
6 Approved by Sector
Date
Cdr: Sign/Name

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