[Causes and incidence of traffic accidents caused by precipitous disorders of consciousness and illnesses of drivers. A one year study in Upper Austria and Salzburg].

It was attempted to make a survey of all traffic accidents due to sudden disturbances of health on behalf of drivers, being supported by the police of Upper Austria and Salzburg. Only 26 out of a total amount of 53.530 road accidents were made known but the cooperation with the police did not always seem to work too well. Only in the province of Salzburg did the number of these accidents correspond with the expected frequencies of 1.3%. Most of the drivers were internally sick, cardiovascular diseases prevailing. The danger of epilepsy is generally overestimated, that of diabetes and other internal diseases rather underrated. People in general good health were also seen causing accidents due to nausea. In such cases self-endangering is twice as common as the exposure of others to danger. In the majority of the incidents only damage to property resulted. In addition it became apparent, that accidents with damage to people occurred more often in the city than in rural areas, whereas fatalities and severe injuries were more common in the country than in cities.