Completed suicides and traffic accidents: longitudinal analysis in France.

In order to assess the relationship between suicidal behavior and traffic accidents, we analyzed the seasonal patterns of completed suicides and deaths related to traffic accidents in France over a period of 8 years. We found a clear seasonal rhythm of completed suicides with a peak in May, and an additional peak in September. The traffic accident rate also underwent seasonal variations with maximum values occurring in the fall. No positive covariation between the seasonal patterns of suicide and traffic accidents was detected. The lack of temporal relationship between suicide and traffic accident is consistent with recent epidemiological studies, and suggests that fatal traffic accidents and suicidal behavior may not be related.