Citation

Sjoegren H, Bjoernstig U, Eriksson A, Oestroem M. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. Annu. Conf. 1993; 37: 237-253.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Car drivers (>= 18 years; n = 514) in Northern Sweden who were fatally injured over a 13-year-period were investigated using autopsy and police reports. Fatalities per unit distance and per licenced driver were highest for the >= 70-year-old and < 25-year-old drivers; these two age groups had similar fatality frequencies. The "older" (>= 60-year-old) drivers were more often at fault than the "younger" (< 60-year-old) ones. Fatal head injuries decreased whilst chest injuries increased with age. The older drivers were more likely to die as a consequence of less severe injuries than the younger ones. The belted younger drivers had fewer fatal chest injuries and more head injuries than the non-belted ones. In older drivers, fatal head injuries were more common in side impacts than in frontal impacts. Older drivers got more post-traumatic complications than the younger ones.