Priority Setting of Preventive Intervention for Road Traffic Injuries in Iran

World Health Organization has recommended the main strategies for the prevention of road traffic injuries on some of the risk factors. This study aimed to prioritize the preventive interventions according to risk factors of road traffic injuries in Iran. The potential impact fraction (PIF) of the main strategies for prevention was analyzed from national traffic police data registry in 2011 in urban and rural roads. PIF was calculated for risk factors of road traffic injuries and joint effect at three counterfactual distributions: theoretical minimum risk level, plausible minimum risk level, and feasible minimum risk level. The priority setting of preventive intervention was performed based on contribution of each risk factor. Based on the potential impact fraction of death (PIF calculated using odds ratio of death) the priorities were as follows in order: wearing a helmet by the motorcycle passenger, wearing a helmet by motorcycle rider, and lack of speed management. Risk factors in this study were more important in urban roads and joint effects of risk factors were close to 100 percent It is strongly recommended that future interventions focus on the use of the helmet by motorcycle passengers and riders, the use of the seat belt by the passengers, and speed management. Our findings indicated that laws and legislations should be pursued more seriously. Calculation of the potential impact fraction is better than the population attributable fraction and allows for more accurate prediction of the future.