A Comparison of Nowruz ۲۰۱۶ and Nowruz ۲۰۱۷ Accidents Data in Iran

Background: Road traffic accidents are currently among the most essential public health issues. According to the World Health Organization, given the rapid growth of road transport globally, road traffic accidents could be the third leading cause of death and disability in the world by ۲۰۲۰. This article examined the role of the human factor in road accidents during the Nowruz holidays, as a major cultural event in Iran. Materials and Methods: We explored the data of road accidents that occurred in Nowruz in ۲۰۱۶ and ۲۰۱۷ in Iran. Traffic accident data concerning the Nowruz holidays of ۲۰۱۶ and ۲۰۱۷ were collected by census method of sampling and based on the report of highway police. Additionally, the frequency of these accidents was analyzed according to travel time, accident type, gender, age, education, and vehicle type in different provinces. Results: The present study findings suggested that among human factors affecting Nowruz accidents in ۲۰۱۶ and ۲۰۱۷, the highest frequency belonged to unnecessary speeding. As in ۲۰۱۶ and ۲۰۱۷, it was the main responsible characteristic for ۵۶.۴۲% and ۵۵.۰۱% of accidents, respectively. In Nowruz ۲۰۱۶, the provinces of Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan, Fars, and Khuzestan; in Nowruz ۲۰۱۷, the provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, Khorasan Razavi, Fars, and Gilan encountered the highest rates of accidents leading to injuries and deaths. Conclusion: To control unnecessary speeding and regulations disregard, planning for culturizing and the community-level education are suggested. Besides, increasing the quality and intelligence of vehicles and the construction of sliders, vertical lines on the road, warning signs, and billboards could help reduce the rate of accidents. Creating a working group of experts in psychology, traffic, etc., to study the pathology of dangerous behaviors, useless haste, and disregard for regulations and providing solutions could also be effective.

کلیدواژه ها:

Road accidents ، Injury ، Fatal ، Nowruz