Evolução dos acidentes de trânsito em um grande centro urbano, 1991-2000 Traffic accidents in a metropolitan area in Brazil, 1991-2000

Abstract

Este estudo descreve a evolução dos acidentes de trânsito em Salvador, Bahia, Brasil, entre 1991 e 2000, utilizando-se dados do Departamento Estadual de Trânsito do Estado da Bahia. Calculou-se taxas globais dos acidentes de trânsito, vítimas e taxas padronizadas de mortalidade por habitante e por veículos, e comparou-se médias destes indicadores para antes (1991 a 1994) e após (1995 a 2000) a adoção de medidas de intervenção como o uso do cinto de segurança e o Código Nacional de Trânsito. As taxas de acidentes de trânsito e de vítimas apresentaram-se elevadas e estáveis. A mortalidade reduziu entre 1995 e 1998, (25,7/100 mil habitantes e 18,1/100 mil, respectivamente) estabilizando-se posteriormente. A diferença entre médias das taxas de mortalidade foi estatisticamente significante (p A time series study described the trend in motor vehicle accidents from 1991 to 2000, using data from the State Transit Department in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. Rates were calculated for total motor vehicle accidents, number of casualties, and standardized mortality based on population and number of vehicles, comparing two periods (1991-1994 and 1995-2000), before and after the adoption of safety measures including compulsory seat belt use and the new National Transit Code (NTC). Vehicle accident and casualty rates were high and showed little variation during the study period. The mortality rate decreased from 25.7/100,000 inhabitants in 1995 to 18.1/100,000 in 1998 and remained stable thereafter. The only significant difference (p < 0.001) was in the mean motor vehicle accident mortality rate before and after the intervention. The case fatality rate decreased from 10.7% (1995) to 7% (2000). Although still representing a major public health problem in this important metropolitan area, the decrease in motor vehicle accident mortality was possibly due to interventions in 1995 and expanded NTC measures in 1998. Greater efforts to change driver and pedestrian behavior could further decrease the high number of accidents and related mortality.

Keywords

• Acidentes de Trânsito
• Coeficiente de Martalidade
• Causas Externas
• Traffic Accidents
• Mortality Rate
• External Causes