Study conducted in the city of São Paulo from January 2001 to July 2002 with the goal of analyzing the profiles of individuals involved in motorcycle accidents, evaluating the rider's profile, the circumstances of the accidents, injuries, and the use of protective gear. 387 patients needing only traumatic orthopedic treatment were found, between 16 and 44 years of age, of which 354 were males (91.0%). The most common mechanism of trauma involved a collision between the motorcycle and another vehicle (67.0%) at a speed between 12.5-37.5 mph (73.0%) involving less experienced riders (67.0%) between 21 and 24 years of age (45%), and in which 532 (53.9%) lower limb injuries occurred. Of the injuries, 393 (39.8%) were wounds, 314 (31.8%) were bruises and 212 (21.5%) were fractures [foot, 34 (16%); femur, 32 (15.1%); ankle, 27 (12.7%); tibia, 25 (11.8%)]. Recurring accidents were observed in 231 (60.0%) cases and only 6.0% of the riders were not using protective equipment. Increased speed showed a higher rate of fractures when the Mann-Whitney test was applied (p = 0.001). Research on mechanical and traffic engineering, in combination with supervision and awareness-raising of the population, should be considered the most effective methods of prevention.
Motorcycles; Accidents, traffic; Trauma
