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Driver suicides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Annakatri Ohberg ,
Antti Penttila  and
Jouko Lonnqvist
Annakatri Ohberg*
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Medicine, PO Box 40,00014 University of Helsinki
Antti Penttila
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Medicine, PO Box 40,00014 University of Helsinki
Jouko Lonnqvist
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland
*
Dr Annakatri Ohberg, Depratment of Forensic Medicine. PO Box 40.00014 University of Helsinki. Finland. Fax: +358-9-19127518; e-mail: annakatri.ohberg@helsinki.fi
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Abstract

Background

To study driver suicides, all motor vehicle driver fatalities in Finland from 1987 to 1991 were analysed.

Method

Cases were collected from all driver fatalities (n=1419), as those that accident investigation teams considered possible suicides (n=99). Drivers committing suicide classified according to ICD–9 by two forensic pathologists were selected as cases (n=84). Drivers of unintentional motor vehicle fatalities served as the control group.

Results

While 5.9% of all driver fatalities were classified as suicides, the figure given in the official statistics was 2.6%. Driver suicides accounted for 1.2% of all suicides. Fifty per cent of driver suicides were committed by men aged between 15 and 34 years. The victims had often suffered from life-event stress, mental disorders and had alcohol misuse problems. The cases were usually head-on collisions between two vehicles with a large weight disparity.

Conclusions

Misclassification of driver suicides does not significantly influence the total suicide rate. However, people who commit suicide by this method could often be recognised, and prevention of these events would improve traffic safety.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 5 , November 1997 , pp. 468 - 472
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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