Suicide by crashing into a heavy vehicle : a focus group study of professional drivers

Professional heavy vehicle drivers can experience a traumatic event at work when suicidal drivers deliberately crash into their vehicles or a pedestrian jumps in front of them. This study adopts a qualitative approach, aiming to gain an understanding about the psychological and other consequences that these crashes have liar this occupational group. We organized a semi-structured focus group meeting with six drivers who reported experiencing a deliberate crash into their vehicle. The meeting was moderated by two psychologists. The participants reported that avoiding the crash was difficult. These events can have long-lasting effects on drivers' well-being although individual differences in the response to the event and coping strategies do exist. Participation in our meeting was regarded as a positive experience. This encourages us to believe that organizing similar meetings that allow drivers under the supervision of professionals to share their own experiences with those who experienced similar events, could perhaps be one way of providing support to such drivers who experienced a traumatic event at work.Peer reviewe

Suicide by crashing into a heavy vehicle : A one-year follow-up study of professional drivers

Train and heavy vehicle drivers can experience a traumatic event caused by people attempting suicide by crashing into their vehicles or jumping in front of them. While there are a number of studies on train drivers showing the negative consequences these events can have on their well-being, there are no studies on heavy vehicle drivers involved in these types of crashes. In the current study, we surveyed Finnish heavy vehicle drivers(N = 15) involved in a suicide crash in the year 2017 regarding their experiences and coping approximately one month (T1) and one year (T2) after the crash. Ten of these drivers reported one or various combinations of measurable consequences such as minor physical injuries, shorter or longer sickness absences, significant posttraumatic stress symptoms(measured using the Impact of Events Scale-Revised) and requiring psychological help. Posttraumatic stress symptoms decreased over time; however, three out of the four drivers who had a high IES-R score at T1 were still around the IES-R cut-off score at T2. This research raises questions whether and what kind of support heavy vehicle drivers who have been involved in a suicide crash should be givenPeer reviewe

Suicide by crashing into a heavy vehicle: Professional drivers’ views

Objective: Every profession has its own safety and health risks. In addition to the risk of being involved in a "normal" road crash, professional heavy vehicle drivers are at risk of becoming victims of people attempting suicide by crashing into their vehicles. Road suicides are not that rare, at least not in Finland, where they represent about 12% of all fatal road crashes. The purpose of this study was to survey professional heavy vehicle drivers about their experiences, views and opinions regarding road suicides. Methods: The sample included heavy vehicle drivers (N = 863) randomly recruited from a transport workers' union. Results: About 18% of the respondents reported a suspected suicide attempt of a motor vehicle driver crashing into their vehicle, with 15% of these (i.e.2.8% of the whole sample) also reporting a resulting crash. More than half of the respondents reported personally knowing another professional driver who had experienced a crash caused by a suicidal driver. Almost 80% of the drivers reported being afraid that someone would attempt suicide by crashing into their vehicle; however, thinking about such a possibility produces a level of anxiety in less than half of all respondents. Most respondents agreed about the challenges of avoiding a crash if somebody deliberately drives their car towards their vehicle. Conclusion: Heavy vehicle drivers perceive road suicides as an occupational risk in their profession. We discuss possible preventive measures against suicide attempts by crashing into a heavy vehicle.Peer reviewe

Lasten ja nuorten tapaturmakuolleisuus on Suomessa yleisempää kuin Euroopassa keskimäärin : Tapaturmien ehkäisyä tehostettava

English summaryPeer reviewe

Suicide by crashing into a heavy vehicle: Focus on professional drivers using in-depth crash data

Objective: Road traffic suicides typically involve a passenger car driver crashing his or her vehicle into a heavy vehicle, because death is almost certain due to the large mass difference between these vehicles. For the same reason, heavy-vehicle drivers typically suffer minor injuries, if any, and have thus received little attention in the research literature. In this study, we focused on heavy-vehicle drivers who were involved as the second party in road suicides in Finland. Methods: We analyzed 138 road suicides (2011-2016) involving a passenger car crashing into a heavy vehicle. We used in-depth road crash investigation data from the Finnish Crash Data Institute. Results: The results showed that all but 2 crashes were head-on collisions. Almost 30% of truck drivers were injured, but only a few suffered serious injuries. More than a quarter reported sick leave following their crash. Injury insurance compensation to heavy-vehicle drivers was just above euro9,000 on average. Material damage to heavy vehicles was significant, with average insurance compensation paid being euro70,500. Three out of 4 truck drivers reported that drivers committing suicide acted abruptly and left them little opportunity for preventive action. Conclusions: Suicides by crashing into heavy vehicles can have an impact on drivers' well-being; however, it is difficult to see how heavy-vehicle drivers could avoid a suicide attempt involving their vehicle.Peer reviewe

Controlled register-based study of road traffic accidents in 12,651 Finnish cancer patients during 2013-2019

Background: Little controlled evidence exists on road traffic accident (RTA) risk among patients diagnosed with cancer, while clinicians are often requested to comment their ability to drive. The aim of this study was to evaluate RTA risk in a population-based cohort of cancer patients living in Southwest Finland.Patients: All adult patients diagnosed with cancer in 2013-2019 were included. Acute appendectomy/cholecystectomy and actinic keratosis patients without cancer were selected from the same region as the control cohort. Participants were cross-referenced to a national driving licence database, yielding 12,651 cancer and 6334 control patients with a valid licence. Due to marked differences in their clinical presentation, the cancer cohort was divided into nine cancers of interest (breast, prostate, colorectal, lung, melanoma, head & neck, primary brain tumours, gynaecological and haematological malignancies). The nationwide law-regulated motor liability insurance registry was searched for all RTAs leading to injury with claims paid to not- or at-fault participants. At-fault drivers were verified based on sex and birth year.Results: During a median follow-up of 34 months, 167 persons were at-fault drivers in RTAs leading to injury. Among the nine cancers of interest, RTA risk did not differ from the control cohort. Among cancer patients, multivariable regression suggested male sex and opioid use, but not advanced cancer stage or given systemic therapy, as the most influential risk factors for RTA.Conclusions: Cancer diagnosis itself was not associated with increased RTA risk, but other associated symptoms, medications, comorbidities or specific cancer subgroups may.</p

Nuorten ääni liikenneturvallisuudelle. Loppuraportti

Liikenne- ja viestintäministeriö kutsui 13 kummikoulua mukaan Nuorten ääni liikenneturvallisuudelle -hankkeeseen. Kummikoulut sitoutuivat olemaan mukana hankkeessa lukuvuodet 2014–2015 ja 2015–2016. Mukana olevia nuoria kutsuttiin ”liikenneagenteiksi”. Hankkeen yhteisissä tapahtumissa käsiteltiin sitä, miten nuorten liikenneturvallisuutta voitaisiin parantaa. Lisäksi nuoria kuultiin ja osallistettiin ainsäädäntövalmisteluun (tieliikennelain kokonaisuudistus ja kuljettajakoulutusuudistuksen aloitus

Nuorten ääni liikenneturvallisuudelle. Loppuraportti

Liikenne- ja viestintäministeriö kutsui 13 kummikoulua mukaan Nuorten ääni liikenneturvallisuudelle -hankkeeseen. Kummikoulut sitoutuivat olemaan mukana hankkeessa lukuvuodet 2014–2015 ja 2015–2016. Mukana olevia nuoria kutsuttiin ”liikenneagenteiksi”. Hankkeen yhteisissä tapahtumissa käsiteltiin sitä, miten nuorten liikenneturvallisuutta voitaisiin parantaa. Lisäksi nuoria kuultiin ja osallistettiin ainsäädäntövalmisteluun (tieliikennelain kokonaisuudistus ja kuljettajakoulutusuudistuksen aloitus