A total of 13,883 injury cases of motorcycle accidents for the last quarter of 2012 were reported by the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday.
According to the DOH, the data came from 86 participating government and private hospitals.
It was also disclosed that nine out of 10 dead-on-arrival (DOA) motorcycle riders were not wearing helmet at the time of accident, in the DOH’s Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (ONEISS)
“To reduce or avoid injuries, the DOH recommends the promotion of ‘safety first' mindset and attitude,” Health Secretary Enrique Ona said in a statement.
Ona noted that road safety is both a personal commitment and a shared responsibility of all road users. Everyone should do their share for an injury-free society.
More than half (59.8 percent) of the total reported injury cases occurred among the 20 to 59 years age group. Injuries among children aged 0 to 19 accounted for 34.7 percent of the total reported cases.
Among those injured, male to female ratio is almost 25:10. The DOH, however, noted that a 30:10 male to female ratio was observed at the 15 to 44 years age group. On the other hand, the 65 years old and above group had a 9:10 male to female ratio.
Central Luzon registered the highest (19.3 percent) reported injury occurrences, followed by the National Capital Region (14.8 percent), Cordillera Administrative Region (12.6 percent), Davao Region (11.7 percent), Cagayan Valley Region (10 percent), Northern Mindanao (6.6 percent), and Western Visayas (6.5 percent).
Majority (71.7 percent) of the total injury cases were unintentional or accidental, about 26.3 percent were intentional (due to violence), and 0.6 percent were self-inflicted injury cases.
For the last quarter of 2012, there were more injury cases reported on the month of October (39.2 percent), followed by November (39 percent), and December (21.1 percent).
The number one cause of reported injuries were transport/vehicular crash (32.1 percent), followed by assault/mauling (23 percent), fall (16.9 percent), and contact with sharp objects (13.2 percent).
Other reported causes of injuries were bites/stings (9.1 percent), burns (1.5 percent), gunshots (1.1 percent), chemicals (0.3 percent), and hanging and drowning at 0.1 percent each.
Most of the reported injuries occurred on the road (41.1 percent), home (26.3 percent), workplace (four percent), and school (2.2 percent).
Almost all (99.5 percent) injury cases reached the hospital alive. Majority (85.4 percent) were discharged after being treated at the emergency room or out-patient department, while only about 9.6 percent were admitted for further treatment. (PNA)
