Motorcycle accidents in the Municipality of Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, in 2010

Abstract

There is an increasing trend in the occurrence of accidents involving motorcycles and other vehicles in Brazil. The victims of these accidents are mostly motorcyclists (operators and passengers), mainly due to the fragility of the motorcycle and the lack of safety equipment, such as bumpers, seat belts, air bags, and passenger compartment. Despite the consequences of these accidents are a severe public health issue, it has not been considered as such in Brazil. Studies on their characteristics and causes are of great importance because they allow for more qualified and focused actions, primarily related to preventive measures. This article presents the results of a quantitative and descriptive research on motorcycle crashes in the municipality of Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in 2010. Among other data, the results show that 365 of the 378 accidents reported occurred in urban areas. There was a predominance of male (257) over female (58) riders. Conversely, most of the passengers were female (63%). The primary final cause of crashes was collision between motorcycles and cars (38.4%), followed by accidental fall (32%). This study also compares its results with a similar research carried out in 2007.