RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Brazil is among the countries with the highest prevalence of people injured by traffic accidents, showing that in 2008, levels reached 18.3 victims for 100,000 habitants were victims of traffic accidents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study involved data collected from treated patients' charts at seven different hospitals located in three different cities all in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Information was obtained through a standardized form, which was designed to investigate the epidemiologic features of maxillofacial traumas, restricted to victims of car accidents. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety-six patients were victims of car crashes with mean age 29.75 years. The age group 18-30 years showed an association with facial trauma in 96 patients, 41.56 % of whom reported using seat belt. Le Fort I, II and III (70 %) and mandible (63.11 %) were more associated with body traumas and seat belt use. The most common soft tissue lesion was laceration with 189 cases (42.3 %). The treatment way was assessed, 93 (23 %) were treated surgically and 303 (77 %) underwent conservative treatment. DISCUSSION: Classically, it is known front seat belt use was positively correlated with back seat belt use, healthy diet, dental and general health, regular walking, adequate sleep and no smoking. Accidents involving cars occurred more frequently in age group 18-30 years, suffering more general traumas and representing the nonusers group that wore fewer seat belts, caused, perhaps, by bigger access of the youth to cars, driving in high speed and to an inefficient fiscalization of the traffic laws.