Road Traffic Injuries in the Khorezm Region of the Republic of Uzbekistan: Medical and Epidemiological Aspects

Abstract

Road traffic injuries remain one of the leading causes of premature mortality, disability, and medical and social losses. Despite the development of road infrastructure and enhanced control measures, the structure of road accidents in many regions remains unstable, and the severity of their consequences is largely determined by human factors. Regional analysis is particularly valuable for developing targeted preventive measures, allowing us to identify local accident patterns, high-risk groups, and the most unfavorable combinations of road, time, and behavioral factors. To study the structure and dynamics of road accidents in the Khorezm region of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2025 compared to 2024, and to assess the role of human factors in the development of severe and fatal consequences of road accidents. A comparative epidemiological study was conducted based on official statistics on road accidents registered in the Khorezm region for 2024–2025. The analysis included 336 road accidents registered in 2024 and 305 accidents in 2025. Thirteen key indicators characterizing the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of accident rates were examined: lighting conditions, driver age and gender, road user categories, vehicle type, road type and category, accidents involving children, incident type, distribution by day of the week, main causes of accidents, driving experience, accidents involving pedestrians, and seasonal dynamics. Descriptive and comparative statistical methods were used to calculate absolute and relative indicators, dynamics, fatality rates, injury rates, and overall accident severity; differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. It was established that the road traffic situation in the Khorezm region in 2025 was characterized not only by a change in the number of accidents but also by a qualitative transformation in the accident structure. An analysis of individual blocks revealed a significant increase in the severity of road accidents. Lighting conditions remained a leading factor: while the overall number of accidents in various lighting conditions remained virtually unchanged, the number of fatalities increased by 40.0%, with the most unfavorable trend observed in areas with no or poor lighting. An age analysis revealed a multi-peak risk profile: a high accident rate persisted among young drivers, but the most pronounced increase in fatalities was also recorded in several middle-aged and older age groups. The gender structure of road accidents was characterized by a marked predominance of men, who account for the majority of serious accidents and fatalities. By road user type, the most unfavorable trend was observed among pedestrians, whose fatality rate increased by 140.0%. An analysis by vehicle type revealed that passenger cars continue to be the primary contributor to accidents and fatalities, but trucks and newly recorded accidents involving tractors have acquired additional significance. Overall, the data obtained showed that the human factor continues to play a leading role in the formation of serious road accidents in the region, manifested through risky behavior, errors in assessing the road situation, violations of traffic rules, decreased attention, and insufficient adaptation to unfavorable road conditions.

Road accidents in the Khorezm region in 2025 are characterized by a structural increase in the severity of accidents, with human factors remaining a leading factor. The identified patterns confirm the need for targeted prevention aimed at high-risk groups, improvements to road infrastructure, and a reduction in the impact of controllable behavioral factors on accident severity.