Mortality and injury from motorcycle collisions in Phetchaburi Province.

A retrospective analysis was done in 3,225 injured motorcyclists treated at Phra Chom Klao Hospital between April 1, 1999 and March 31, 2000. The peak of all motorcycle crashes was found between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Male motorcycle riders accounted for 69 per cent of the accident population, and most riders were under 21 years of age. Approximately 21 per cent of the accident-involved riders had been drinking alcohol and about half of the riders were unlicensed. Only 4 per cent of the riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident. Helmet usage was much lower among passengers, only about 1 per cent. The upper and lower extremities were injured most frequently, although these injuries were not life threatening. The most fatal injuries to the motorcyclists were to the head, abdomen, and chest in decreasing frequency.