The city may have seen more pothole-related deaths in the last few years, but cases of disability and injuries are much higher.
Potholes and bad roads commonly cause head, facial and spine injuries among bike riders, said Dr Ajith Benedict Rayan, vice-president of Hosmat Hospitals. “A sudden bump in a pothole can cause acute spinal injuries like slipped disc and vertebral fractures,” he said, adding that head and facial injuries could be reduced by wearing good-quality helmets.
Limb fractures are also quite common in heavy falls, he said. “When people fall, they tend to stick their hand out. This can cause fractures of the wrist, fingers and upper limb bone. Fractures of leg and feet bones are also very common.”
