The impact of four-wheel drives on traffic disability and deaths compared to passenger cars.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of injuries resulting from road traffic crashes involving four wheel drives (4WD) vehicles and passenger cars in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).


METHODS
Descriptive study.


METHODS
Al-Ain and Tawam Hospital, UAE, during a period from 1st January to 31st December 2000.


METHODS
A questionnaire was created and filled out concerning: sociodemographic information; data about driving behavior and attitude which included driving experience, adherence to traffic laws (including speed limits and wearing seat belt), driving habits, and assessment of sustained injury was performed according to the Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS).


RESULTS
A total of 1157 motor vehicle crashes related casualty patients were hospitalized during the year 2000. Of these total patients, 495 victims (42.8%) were involved with 4WDs road traffic crashes related injuries and 72.9% of them required hospitalization. Of these, 76.8% were males, 60.7% were non-UAE nationals. The head injury was more common in those who had crashes from 4WD vehicles (45.6%) than those who had crashes from small cars (37.3%). Abbreviated injury scare showed that four wheelers caused more severe (9.1%), serious (10.3%), critical (8.3%) and moderate injuries (13.9%). A significant higher risk was observed for speed violations (OR=2.06; 95% CI=1.55 - 2.76, p<0.001) property damage (OR=1.54; 95% CI=1.07-2.22, p<0.014) and pedestrian accident (OR=2.09; 95% CI=1.46-2.99, p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study findings indicated that nearly half of the road traffic crashes were involved with 4WD vehicles and that most of the injured individuals were pedestrian and younger drivers. Reduction in motor vehicle injuries and deaths represents a major public health success.
Bener
Abdulbari
A
Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad General Hospital and Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. abener@hmc.org.qa
Ghaffar
A
A
Azab
Abu
A
Sankaran-Kutty
M
M
Toth
F
F
Lovasz
G
G
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001336:Automobiles / Q000145:classification*; D002423:Cause of Death; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy