Death and injury from motor vehicle crashes in Colombia

We report data on the distribution and determinants of road deaths and injuries for all victims in Colombia, with the aim of defining targets and priorities for highway death prevention in that country and other rapidly urbanizing nations. Using information from Colombia's Fund for the Prevention of Road Injury and the national death registry, we studied data on deaths and injuries from 1991 to 1995 for the nation as a whole and for the country's two largest cities, Santa Fe de Bogotá and Medellín. Deaths and injuries are rising in the nation as a whole. Of the deaths, 75 percent occur in urban areas, and 80 percent are in males. Pedestrians aged 15-34 are a peak subgroup. Thirty-four percent of deaths are attibutable to speeding and/or alcohol consumption. Death tolls are highest at night and on weekends. Specific priority targets for intervention are indicated by the fact that 75 percent of road deaths in Colombia occur in urban areas and that 80 percent of all victims are males

Death and injury from motor vehicle crashes in Colombia / Muertes y lesiones por accidentes de tráfico en Colombia

We report data on the distribution and determinants of road deaths and injuries for all victims in Colombia, with the aim of defining targets and priorities for highway death prevention in that country and other rapidly urbanizing nations. Using information from Colombia's Fund for the Prevention of Road Injury and the national death registry, we studied data on deaths and injuries from 1991 to 1995 for the nation as a whole and for the country's two largest cities, Santa Fe de Bogotá and Medellín. Deaths and injuries are rising in the nation as a whole. Of the deaths, 75 percent occur in urban areas, and 80 percent are in males. Pedestrians aged 15-34 are a peak subgroup. Thirty-four percent of deaths are attibutable to speeding and/or alcohol consumption. Death tolls are highest at night and on weekends. Specific priority targets for intervention are indicated by the fact that 75 percent of road deaths in Colombia occur in urban areas and that 80 percent of all victims are males

Con el fin de definir objetivos y prioridades para la prevención de las muertes en carretera en Colombia y en otros países que se encuentran en rápido proceso de urbanización, presentamos datos sobre la distribución y determinantes de las muertes y lesiones por accidentes de tráfico en Colombia. Utilizando información del Fondo de Prevención Vial Nacional y del registro nacional de defunciones, estudiamos los datos correspondientes al período comprendido entre 1991 y 1995, tanto en la totalidad del país como en sus dos principales ciudades: Santa Fe de Bogotá y Medellín. En el ámbito nacional, las muertes y lesiones por esta causa están en aumento. En relación con las muertes, 75% ocurrieron en áreas urbanas y 80% de las víctimas fueron varones, cifras que señalan la existencia de objetivos prioritarios específicos para la intervención. El subgrupo más afectado fue el de los peatones de 15 a 34 años de edad. Treinta y cuatro porciento de las muertes fueron atribuibles a exceso de velocidad o consumo de alcohol. El número de víctimas mortales fue más elevado por las noches y en los fines de semana.