The pattern of fatalities by age, seat belt usage and time of day on road accidents.

The objectives of this article were to identify the pattern of fatalities by age, belt use and time of day on road accidents of south-east Iran. A sample of over 3091 accident cases was considered from Kerman police forces, involving drivers of all ages, and covering a three-year period. Female drivers were found to be generally safer drivers than their male counterparts; male drivers not using a seat belt had a higher involvement rate in road traffic accidents, and also males within the age group of 26-33 had more involvement in accidents. Time of day analyses suggested that the problem of accidents in darkness is not a matter of visibility, but a consequence of the way drivers use the roads at night. The article ends with a number of recommended measures for the improvement of road safety in south-east Iran.