DEATHS DUE TO RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

Cansunar FN, Cetin G, Sari H, Asirdizer M, Altug M.

Journal of Forensic Medicine (Turkish), 1996; 12 (1-4): 35-41.

ABSTRACT

In the present study, reports of 9811 autopsies performed in the Mortuary Section of The Council of Forensic Medicine were reviewed and those concerning railway fatalities evaluated with regard to various aspects. The findings thus obtained were compared with those in the literature on the subject. Problems especially arising in the determination of the origin were discussed with subsequent emphasis on the points of interest.

There were 78 (% 079) cases of death caused by railway accident with 68 males and 10 females as victims. The majority of the fatalities occurred in the age group of 4-50 years (18 cases). The seasonal distribution revealed that the mouth July occupied the first rank (10 cases). The location of the traumatic lesions was as follows head (62 cases), chest (60 cases), neck (44 cases), upper extremities (29 cases), pelvis (20 cases), lover extremities (16 cases). The inner organ most frequently injured was the brain (53 cases) followed by the lungs in 40 cases. Ribs were the most frequently injured bones of the skeletal system. Chemical analyses revealed ethanol in blood in 13 cases and a benzodiazepine derivative in urine in one case.

Key words: railway accidents, autopsy, injuries.