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Driver suicides
A Ohberg1, A Penttila, J Lonnqvist
1Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. annakatri.ohberg@helsink.fi
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|February 17, 1998
Summary
Driver suicides are often misclassified in official statistics. Recognizing these cases can help prevent traffic fatalities and improve road safety.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Public Health
- Traffic Safety
Background:
- Analysis of motor vehicle driver fatalities in Finland from 1987 to 1991.
- Focus on identifying and classifying driver suicides within this dataset.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of driver suicides.
- To compare official suicide statistics with actual findings in driver fatalities.
- To identify potential risk factors and collision patterns associated with driver suicides.
Main Methods:
- Included all motor vehicle driver fatalities (n=1419) from the study period.
- Identified potential suicides (n=99) based on accident investigation reports.
- Classified confirmed driver suicides (n=84) using ICD-9 criteria by forensic pathologists.
- Utilized unintentional motor vehicle fatalities as a control group.
Main Results:
- 5.9% of driver fatalities were classified as suicides, contrasting with the official statistic of 2.6%.
- Driver suicides constituted 1.2% of all suicides.
- Suicides were predominantly committed by males aged 15-34, often linked to life stressors, mental health issues, and alcohol misuse.
- Typical suicide method involved head-on collisions between vehicles of significantly different weights.
Conclusions:
- Misclassification of driver suicides has a minimal impact on overall suicide rates.
- Driver suicides are often recognizable, suggesting potential for targeted prevention strategies.
- Interventions aimed at preventing driver suicides could enhance overall traffic safety.