Mass casualty accident investigation: The school van fall into the ravine beside the highway No.208, Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, 9 February 2023

Abstract

Background: On 9th February 2023, 19.39 pm, the Office of Disease Prevention and Control Region 7, Khon Kaen Province (ODPC7) received the messages from “Khon Kaen jengkhao” Facebook page about the school van fell into the ravine beside the highway No. 208, Mueang district, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. Therefore, ODPC7 cooperated with Sirindhorn Hospital and Mueang District Public Health Office to investigate the event on 10th February 2023. The objectives were to confirm the event and the diagnosis, to describe the epidemiological characteristics, to identify the risk factors and to recommend the prevention and control measures.
Methods: The descriptive epidemiologic study was performed by reviewing the medical records, interviewing the patients, healthcare personnel, policemen and rescuers, observing the wreckage of the van and the motorcycle, and identifying the risk factors of the accident and injury by Haddon Matrix Model. Environmental survey was also conducted.
Results: On 9th February 2023; 16.30 pm, the school van fell into the ravine beside the highway No. 208, Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province. Total victims were 16 cases, the mean age was 9.56 years (6–17 years). The severity of injury: moderate 12.5% and mild 87.5%. There were no major injury or death. Site of injury: Head 25% and Extremities 87.5%. The risk factors of the accident were ‘Trailer driver made a U–turn at the restricted area’ ‘Error in judgement to decrease the speed of a school van by the van driver’ and ‘Low driving experience of the motorcycle driver’. The risk factors of injury were ‘The re–make of school van seats without permission by law’, ‘the fixation of the van seats was not strong’, ‘No semi–guardrail of the highway’, and ‘The ravine beside the highway’.
Recommendations: We recommend 1) Highways District establish the Non U–turn sign at the restricted area or extend the concrete barrier along the street isle in order to prevent all drivers make their dangerous U–turns there and install a CCTV camera for legal enforcement against future offenders. 2) The Department of Land Transport should enhance the testing process of hazard perception for individuals renewing their driver’s licenses in order to promote knowledge among road users 3) Every school authority should be more restrict in term of approving and monitoring the school vans. The school transportation vehicles should be inspected according to the standards set by the Department of Land Transport. 4) Parents support their children in receiving driving training organized by authorized agencies.