Factors Related to Road Traffic Accidents in Urban Community at Surat Thani City Municipality, Thailand

Abstract

A retrospective descriptive study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 (4 years) to determine the factors related to road traffic accidents in urban communities: a case study in Surat Thani Province, Thailand. This study collected data from the Division of Public Health Emergency Management (PHER), Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.  We summarized the characteristics of continuous and categorical data as numbers and percentages. Characteristics were compared using descriptive statistics, and categorical data were compared using a chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was used to test the association between alcohol drinking with variable factors. The level of significance was set at P-value < 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Program (SPSS), version 28.

The results presented showed that cases and deaths during road traffic accidents approximately 6,428 cases from 2018 to 2021. The results showed that the variable factors, including gender, age, type of medical care, alcohol consumption, patient level, and type of vehicle injured had a statistically significant correlation with road accidents (P-value < 0.05). Our results found 1,617 people in road accidents had the history of alcohol drinking. In addition, male aged 36-60 years old, type of road use as a driver and passenger, not wearing a helmet or seat belt associated with accidents on the roads (P-value < 0.05). Thus, strategies that are effective for the Surat Thani municipality area should focus on male workers, wearing safety belts or helmets, and drinking alcohol to reduce their risk of driving accidents. In addition, it should be implemented on drivers and other road users and alter drivers' attitudes to foster a sense of social responsibility.