OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristics of bone fractures from road traffic accidents and analyze their injury mechanisms so as to provide reference for the research and medical care of traffic trauma.

METHODSThree hundred and six patients with fractures from road traffic accidents were included into this study. A total of 507 fractures were identified and the injury mechanism, location distribution and frequency were analyzed.

RESULTSThe most common location of fractures was the lower extremities, followed by the upper extremities, skull and maxillofacial region, and the rarest was the spine. A total of 56% of the patients suffered from multiple fractures. The fractures of the patella, femur and pelvis and the fractures of the olecranon, humerus and shoulder often happened simultaneously.

CONCLUSIONSThe injury mechanisms can be classified into four types: impact, incoordinate movement, stretch injury and crush and extrusion. The fractures from traffic accidents have the following characteristics: centrifugal distribution of the injuries, multiple fractures, force transmission and ipsilateral occurrence.