Apparent Unexplained Car Accidents – Caused by Alcohol and Drug Use, Disease or Suicide?

Background A major proportion of fatally injured traffic accident victims are car drivers; in Norway in 1999 car drivers made up 47% of such victims (1). Several of the accidents involving these car drivers cannot be explained by the traffic environment (road, weather conditions etc), technical defects on cars or by risk taking behaviour (reckless driving, high speed etc). Impairment of the driver from alcohol and/or drugs, disease, tiredness or even suicidal impulses may be considered. Previous studies have discussed such factors, and many find driving under the influence of alcohol and organic disease, especially cardiovascular disease, to be important risk factors in causing traffic accidents (2-4). However, less information is available about the significance of drugs, both licit and illicit. Neither have other possible risk factors such as suicidal impulses and tiredness; however increasing interest has been shown for these factors.