Impact of interventions directed toward motorcyclist death prevention in Cali, Colombia:: 1993-2001

Objective. Describe the impact of interventions focused on decreasing deaths by motorcycle crash. Material and Methods. We analyzed variations in deaths by motorcycle crash in Cali when the interventions were implemented and the statistical significance of changes between 1993 and 2001. Results. The rate of motorcyclist deaths per 100 000 inhabitants decreased from 9.7 in 1995 to 3.6 in 2001. The greatest reduction was observed after the introduction of the helmet law for motorcycle drivers in 1996 (12.3%). Other interventions-such as a helmet law for passengers, a reflective safety vest, a circulation ban for motorcyclists in December, and compulsory courses for all motorcyclists-produced a greater decrease in mortality; meanwhile, a lack of law enforcement increased it. Conclusions. The establishment and implementation of a combination of prevention strategies was more effective than a single or non-articulated strategy.