Age and the Road: Exploring Demographic and Socioeconomic Influences on Traffic Accidents Across Urban and Rural Landscapes

Road traffic accident(RTA) is one of the commonest reason for patient admission globally. Age is a key factor influencing road traffic accidents (RTAs), with both younger and older age groups at heightened risk due to distinct physical, cognitive, and behavioural factors. This prospective cohort study examined 229 road traffic accident patients presenting to two tertiary hospitals in Kelantan, Malaysia, over a six-month period. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the likelihood of an accident increased by older age, male gender, higher income, higher education, and urban area. Older age, male gender, higher education, and employment status were identified as significant factors increasing the likelihood of road traffic accidents. These findings suggest the importance of targeted interventions for these high-risk groups to reduce accident rates.