A Study of a Decade of Road Traffic Accidents in Benghazi - Libya: 2001 to 2010

Bodalal, Zuhir; Bendardaf, Riyad; Ambarek, Mohammed · 2012 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040454

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Summary

This study investigates the trends and characteristics of road traffic accidents (RTAs) in Benghazi, Libya, over a ten-year period from 2001 to 2010. Motivated by Libya’s status as having the third-highest per capita fatal RTA rate globally and a lack of local research on motor vehicle collisions, the authors aimed to provide a comprehensive outline of the current status of this public health concern. The research utilized retrospective data from Al-Jalaa Hospital, the primary trauma center for eastern Libya, analyzing records from 21,753 RTA cases. The methodology involved a retrospective analysis of patient records supervised by the hospital’s Biostatistics Department and approved by the Libyan International Medical University Ethical Committee. Data were filtered to include only RTA admissions, regardless of victim role or vehicle type. Statistical procedures, including means, standard deviations, and percentage calculations, were performed using an Excel-based model to compare annual data and identify trends across parameters such as age, gender, nationality, role in the accident, hospital stay duration, surgical requirements, discharge methods, and fatalities. The results indicate a steady increase in RTA admissions, rising from 1,613 cases in 2001 to 2,653 in 2010, representing 12.9% of total hospital admissions on average. Males comprised 81.5% of patients, with the 20–29 age group forming the largest demographic (28.9%). While the average age of patients increased slightly over the decade, vehicle occupants (drivers and passengers) accounted for 66% of cases, showing an increasing trend compared to pedestrians, whose proportion decreased. Approximately 41.4% of patients required surgery. Most patients (62%) stayed between one day and one week, incurring significant accommodation costs totaling over 44 million Libyan dinars. Although the overall fatality rate decreased from 6.6% in 2001 to 4.3% in 2010, pedestrians faced the highest risk of death relative to their numbers. Notably, there was a concerning trend of patients leaving against medical advice or absconding, reaching 9.7% of cases. The study concludes that RTAs are a growing burden on Libya’s healthcare system, driven by increased motorization. The findings highlight a shift from pedestrian injuries to vehicle occupant injuries and a high prevalence of male victims, likely due to societal mobility patterns. The authors recommend public education, life support training, and diversification of transport methods to mitigate these trends. The data underscores the need for targeted interventions, particularly regarding underage pedestrians and the high rate of patients discontinuing care prematurely.

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• fatality injury trends