The Investigation of Road Traffic Injuries: A Case Study of the Tourist Bus Carrying Students Veers off Roadway, Down into the Ditch on Chaiyaphum-Kaengkho Highway in Khonsawan District, Chaiyaphum Province.

Abstract

On 17th March 2017, The Surveillance Rapid Response Team (SRRT) in Khonsawan district received a notification about an event of road traffic injury involving a  tourist bus carrying students and teachers  from Khokmuangsuksa school in Khonkaen province who were on a field trip, veer off a road and down into a ditch on the Chaiyaphum-Kaengkho highway in Khonswan district, Chaiyaphum province. An investigation was conducted at 18th March 2017 in order to determine the factors affecting this injury. A descriptive study was developed by gathering data from medical records and interviewing those involved in the event. The factors affecting the road traffic injury were analyzed by using the Haddon matrix method. The results showed that the bus carrying 46 passengers, 38 passengers were injuries. The injured body regions were localized in face (28.9%), head (26.3%) and right leg (15.8%), respectively. Rescue workers took injured passengers to three hospitals for treatment. All of them were treated for minor injuries. The factors affecting this injury including vehicle defect, bad road condition, lack of roadway lighting and non-use of seat belts.

        The safety standard for the bus inspection should be improved in the vehicle inspection system. Furthermore, Regular maintenance of the road and improve roadway lighting is essential in order to prevent these problems in the future.