Pediatric victms of traffic accidents admitted to a university hospital: epidemiological and clinical aspects

This study analyzes epidemiological and clinic characteristics of victims of traffic accidents. Data were obtained from medical records of children under 15 years of age (n = 1, 123) admitted to a university hospital in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from 1999 to 2003. Mean age was eight years, 65.7% were boys, 76.6% were cyclists or pedestrians, 45.9% suffered head injuries, and 9% remained in hospital for more than two weeks. Fourteen (1.2%) died, 78.6% of these within 48 hours of hospitalization, and 85.7% with brain injuries. Among the passengers of motorcycles and larger vehicles, 58.8% were not using security devices properly at the time of the accident. Among the cyclists, 61 % suffered isolated limb injuries. Meanwhile, pedestrians tended to suffer multiple lesions (57.5%) and be admitted to intensive care (7. 1 %), and represented 66.7% of the deaths. Epidemiological data on pediatric traffic victims can be useful for accident prevention programs.