Road Traffic Accident, Drowning and Secondary Drowning: Case Series

Abstract

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) commonly result in deaths due to blunt force trauma; however, in certain environmental conditions, drowning can become a primary cause of mortality. We present a series of six cases following a road traffic accident where a bus plunged into a drain after colliding with a truck. Five passengers died at the scene due to drowning, while one succumbed two days later to secondary complications consistent with drowning-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This report highlights the forensic features of drowning and secondary drowning and emphasises the importance of meticulous autopsy examinations in multi-causal deaths following vehicular accidents.