Epidemiological study on Road traffic injury in Suphanburi Province and policy recommendations.

Abstract

      This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics and trends of road traffic injuries and deaths, examine the associations between personal, behavioral, and location-related factors and injury severity and mortality, and review road safety measures to develop policy recommendations appropriate to the context of Suphan Buri Province. A survey research by retrospective study was conducted using secondary data from the Injury Surveillance System of the Department of Disease Control. The data comprised 60,545 road traffic injury cases recorded by hospitals in Suphan Buri Province between January 1, 2018, and August 31, 2025. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, and inferential statistics using the chi-square test.

      The results showed an increasing trend in road traffic injuries. The highest number of cases was recorded in 2023 (12,857 cases), followed by 2024 (12,801 cases). Most injured individuals were male (60.11%), aged 15–19 years (16.24%), general laborers (39.87%), and drivers (79.40%). Motorcycles were the most frequently involved type of vehicle (85.28%). Mueang Suphan Buri District accounted for the highest proportion of cases (37.85%), and most crashes occurred on roads under the jurisdiction of the Department of Highways (68.99%). The highest proportion of crashes occurred between 4:01 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (16.14%). Major risk behaviors included not wearing a helmet (81.60%) and not using a seat belt (68.82%). Most injuries were non-head injuries (69.60%), and 98.40% of injured individuals showed clinical improvement following treatment. Sex, age, occupation, vehicle type, alcohol consumption, psychoactive substance use, seat belt use, helmet use, and mobile phone use were significantly associated with injury severity and/or mortality (p < .05).