Diseases and Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Finland in 2001 and 2002

The possible connection between diseases among drivers and traffic accidents was examined for traffic safety purposes. The authors studied medical conditions of drivers and passengers in all motor vehicle crashes with fatalities in Finland in 2001 and 2002 by using reports of road accident investigation teams, including autopsy reports. The authors analyzed a total of 542 crashes with 640 fatalities. Findings were also compared with available epidemiological data in Finland. An insignificant difference in the number of reported diseases was present between the different parties involved in crashes. However, among killed key drivers, so-called A-parties, psychiatric diseases, especially alcoholism, depression, and unspecific mental disorders, were diagnosed more often than in the groups of other drivers or passengers. In addition, A-parties were reported to more frequently suffer from cerebral arteriosclerosis and arterial hypertension. Drivers' diseases can be a risk factor for traffic accidents. Fitness to drive should therefore be considered in medical practice, particularly in patients with alcoholism and other psychiatric disorders.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/15389580601118862
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/49192340
• Authors:
  • Rainio, Juha
  • Sulander, Pekka
  • Nuutinen, Juha
  • Karkola, Kari
  • Hantula, Lasse
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 321-328
• Serial:
  • Traffic Injury Prevention
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 1538-9588
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/15389588.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcoholism; Depression (Mental condition); Diseases and medical conditions; Drivers; Epidemiology; Fatalities; Hypertension; Mental disorders; Motor vehicles; Psychiatry; Risk assessment; Traffic crashes
• Geographic Terms: Finland
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01076870
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 24 2007 9:14AM