[Profile of motorcycle accident victims treated at a public hospital emergency department].

The number of accidents involving motorcycles has increased in Brazil. The objective of this study was to identify the type of victims of these accidents who were treated at an emergency department in Piauí State, Brazil. The sample included 430 such victims in this quantitative study. Most were male, 15-24 years of age, and from the State of Piauí itself. 301 of the victims were drivers of the motorcycles, 81 were passengers, and 48 were struck or run over by the motorcycles. 76.05% of the accidents occurred from Thursday to Sunday. 80.75% had temporary sequelae, and 53.33% of the accidents occurred at night. In 69.3% of the cases, victims suffered lacerations; 51.4% fractures; 27.44% hematomas; and 20.7% head trauma. Among the accident victims, motorcycle drivers, and those suspected of alcohol consumption, 52.07% were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Most of the victims were discharged from hospital, while 14 died. In conclusion, injuries from motorcycle accidents deserve attention, especially to plan preventive measures to help control their occurrence in the State.