Inner city maxillofacial fractures due to road traffic accidents

A prospective study of 159 patients seen with maxillofacial fractures as a result of road traffic accidents in a Nigerian inner city was performed. The male to female ratio was 2.9 : 1 and the dominant age group was 21-30 years. Occupants of commercial vehicles were the ones mostly involved; involvement of rear seat occupants was high. Increased numbers of patients were seen on Saturdays and in the month of June. This study substantiates the fact that there is added risk of sustaining facial fractures during the rainy and leisure periods. Therefore, there is a need to stress the importance of common restraint devices and good road habits during these 'high risk' periods to reduce the incidence of maxillofacial fractures due to the road traffic accidents.