Sick-leave after road traffic accidents

425 road traffic casualties, all covered by the National Insurance Scheme, were followed up regarding duration of inability to work. The average for the whole group was 35 days. There was a close relation between seriousness of injury and time off work. Motorcyclists had the longest time off work and cyclists injured in bicycle accidents the shortest. Casualties with orthopaedic injuries were off work for 120 days, on average, and accounted for 67% of the total paid sick-leave, although they constituted only 20% of those injured. The responsibility for the treatment of trauma is discussed.