title: Situational factors associated with road traffic crashes: a case-control study on the Yaoundé-Douala road section, Cameroon.
abstract: Our aim was to identify situational factors associated with road traffic crash sites on a heavy traffic 243 km road section in Cameroon. We conducted a case-control study on Yaounde-Douala road section. Cases were sites where an injury crash was reported to one of the 13 police stations on this road section over a period from 2004 to 2007. Control sites were randomly selected on same road section where no crash was reported. A total of 474 crash sites and 509 control sites were included. Results showed statistically significant associations with injury crash risk for flat road profile (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15-2.01), irregular road surface conditions (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.04-1.99), roadside obstacle situated less than 4 m from the road edge (aOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.09-3.63), three-legged intersections (aOR = 3.11, 95% CI = 1.15-8.39) and four-legged intersections (aOR = 3.23, 95% CI = 1.15-6.92). Built-up areas were significantly associated with injury crash sites where verge depth was 0 m (aOR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.97-2.77). Our results suggest that traffic calming and speed enforcement measures in built-up areas, intersections and on flat sections of this road should be strongly encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Equipe Avenir, Prévention et Prise en Charge des Traumatismes, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 897 (INSERM U897), Bordeaux, France. junaid.bhatti@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Junaid A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sobngwi-Tambekou
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lagarde
authors.forename: Louis-Rachid
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Salmi
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002163:Cameroon; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012042:Registries; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*