Road Traffic Fatalities in Oman from 1995 to 2009: Evidence from Police Reports

BACKGROUND: Fatalities from road traffic crashes (RTCs) are a public health challenge for low- and middle-income countries, especially those experiencing epidemiological transition. This paper aims to describe demographics and trend analysis of fatalities of RTCs in Oman from 1995 to 2009. METHODS: The RTC data from 1995 to 2009 were obtained from the published reports of the Royal Oman Police (ROP). Data were extracted on the distribution of deaths by age, sex, nationality, mode of travel (driver, passenger, pedestrians), and type of vehicle (four- vs. two-wheelers). Trend analyses were carried out using the Chi-square for the percentages of deaths and linear regression for rates. RESULTS: A total of 9,616 deaths from RTCs were reported from 1995 to 2009. Of 9,616 fatalities, 4,666 (48.5%) were aged 26-50 years, 7,927 (82.4%) were males, 7,215 (75.0%) were Omanis, and 2,278 (23.8%) were pedestrians. Overall, mortality increased by around 50% from 479 deaths during 1995 to 953 deaths during 2009. There was a significant increase in the proportion of deaths (P < 0.05) and death rates (P < 0.05) among individuals aged 26-50 years, males, Omani nationals, and drivers. The number and rate of RTC fatalities due to overspeeding was also increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fatalities due to RTCs in Oman are increasing, especially among those aged 26-50 years, males, drivers, and Omani nationals with overspeeding as a major cause of road traffic fatalities. There is a need for more research in understanding the risk-taking behaviors of young drivers, and sociocultural factors, especially among Omani nationals to target interventions.