title: Underreporting of road crashes in Pakistan and the role of fate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Comprehensive, accurate information about road crashes and related trauma is a prerequisite for identification and control of risk factors as well as for identifying faults within the broader road safety system. Quality data and appropriate crash investigation are critical in reducing the road toll that is rapidly growing in much of the developing world, including Pakistan. This qualitative research explored the involvement of social and cultural factors (in particular, fatalism) in risky road use in Pakistan. The findings highlight a significant issue, previously unreported in the road safety literature, namely, the link between fatalistic beliefs and inaccurate reporting of road crashes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty interviews (one-on-one) were conducted by the first author with police officers, drivers, policy makers, and religious orators in 3 Pakistani cities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence emerged of a strong link between fatalism and the underreporting of road crashes. In many cases, crashes and related road trauma appear to go unreported because a crash is considered to be one's fate and, therefore, beyond personal control. Fate was also implicated in the practice of reconciliation between parties after a crash without police involvement and the seeking and granting of pardon for a road death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These issues represent additional factors that can contribute to underreporting of crashes and associated trauma. Together, they highlight complications involved in establishing the true cost of road trauma in a country such as Pakistan and the difficulties faced when attempting to promote scientifically based road safety information to counteract faith-based beliefs.
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland , Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia.
authors.forename: Ahsan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kayani
authors.forename: Judy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fleiter
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011996:Records / Q000592:standards*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult