Natl Med J India
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Editorial Letter
Road traffic deaths and injuries in India: time for action.
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Road traffic crashes are an important cause of death and disability in India. Reliable and accurate data are necessary to plan strategies to reduce death and disability due to road traffic crashes. We assessed the utility of the available data on deaths due to road traffic crashes for road crash surveillance for a major metropolitan city of southern India. ⋯ Despite the gaps in reporting of fatalities in road traffic crashes in these data sources, they provide insights into the magnitude and nature of deaths resulting from such crashes in Hyderabad. The available data have limitations and there is a need for strengthening the road traffic crash surveillance system to have reliable, accurate and adequate data on road traffic crashes and the resulting fatalities and injuries. These could then form the basis for planning effective intervention strategies to improve road safety.