University of Oulu, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry, P.O.BOX 5000, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland.
Oulu University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, P.O.BOX 26, FIN-90029 OYS, Finland.
Forensic Sci Int. 2018 Oct;291:245-252. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.037. Epub 2018 Sep 1.
Fatal head-on collisions between passenger cars and trucks are sometimes thought as self-inflicted death of the passenger car drivers.
A total of 378 Finnish drivers of light motor vehicles (LMV) died in collisions with heavy vehicles between the years 2002-2011. These male and female drivers, who were considered as being at fault, and whose collisions with heavy vehicles occurred in the oncoming vehicle's lane, were explored in relation to information on their socio-demographics, physical and mental health condition and driving-related factors.
Cause of death of at-fault LMV drivers, as defined in medico-legal examination, was most commonly accidental (51%), followed by suicide (32%), undetermined intent (17%) and acute illness (0.3%). Ten-year time trend in rates of LMV drivers has remained stable (Annual Percentage Change, APC=-0.03; p=0.983), the annual proportion varying between 14%-21%. However, a statistically significantly increasing time trend was observed in fatal accidents due to suicides (APC=5.31, p=0.028). Generally, at-fault LMV drivers were characterized as having mental health problems susceptibility to risk (44%), personal relationship problems (33%), long-term physical illness (68%) or medication (35%) or driving under influence of alcohol (24%). Male LMV drivers, compared to women, were more commonly unmarried, farm/wood/industrial workers and drove alone and without a planned destination. Female LMV drivers were, more commonly than men, widowed, third degree students, skilled workers, had long term mental illnesses/disturbances, drove with family member(s) and their fatal accidents occurred in winter.
The findings give support to the recommendation that suicidal ideation must be considered when assessing fitness-to-drive.
乘用车与卡车迎面相撞的致命事故有时被认为是乘用车驾驶员的自杀行为。
2002 年至 2011 年间，共有 378 名芬兰轻型机动车（LMV）驾驶员在与重型车辆的碰撞中死亡。这些男性和女性驾驶员被认为有过错，并且他们与重型车辆的碰撞发生在迎面而来的车道上，我们对其社会人口统计学、身心健康状况和驾驶相关因素进行了探讨。
根据法医检查确定的过错方 LMV 驾驶员的死因通常是意外（51%），其次是自杀（32%）、意图不明（17%）和急性疾病（0.3%）。10 年来 LMV 驾驶员的比率一直保持稳定（年百分比变化，APC=-0.03；p=0.983），每年的比例在 14%-21%之间变化。然而，自杀导致的致命事故的时间趋势呈显著上升趋势（APC=5.31，p=0.028）。一般来说，过错方 LMV 驾驶员具有心理健康问题易感性（44%）、人际关系问题（33%）、长期身体疾病（68%）或用药（35%）或酒后驾驶（24%）的特征。与女性相比，男性 LMV 驾驶员更常见的是未婚、农场/木材/工业工人，独自驾驶且没有计划目的地。与男性相比，女性 LMV 驾驶员更常见的是丧偶、三级学生、熟练工人、长期精神疾病/障碍，与家庭成员一起驾驶，且她们的致命事故发生在冬季。
这些发现支持了这样一种建议，即在评估驾驶能力时，必须考虑自杀意念。
