Impact of safety belt use on road accident injury and injury type in Kuwait

The enactment of Kuwait's seat belt law in January 1994 provided an opportunity to examine the impact of seat belt use on road accident fatalities and injury types in this affluent Persian Gulf nation. Via a structured data form, the results of injurious/fatal road accidents for more than 1200 accident victims were gathered from the files of the six major government hospitals which treat most traffic accident victims. Statistical analysis of the data showed that seat belt use has had a positive effect in reducing both road traffic fatalities and multiple injuries in Kuwait. The use of seat belts has also affected the nature of the injuries resulting from road traffic accidents. Non-users of belts experienced higher frequencies of head, face, abdominal and limb injuries. Users of belts, on the other hand, suffered higher frequencies of neck and chest injuries. The interrelationship between the victim, his age, and the type of injuries resulting from road traffic accidents is also investigated.