Citation

Ojerskog B, Jacobsson B, Bonnichsen R, Herner B, Sjöden M, Ysander L. Proc. Am. Assoc. Automot. Med. Annu. Conf. 1978; 22(1): 199-209.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1978, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

At the deadline for manuscript (April 1, 1978) 70 persons have been taken care of as traffic victims at the emergency ward at the County Hospital of Varberg, Sweden, during three separate investigation periods of four months each. The injured persons were all over 15 years of age and responsible for their traffic behavior. Only nine persons, 13 per cent, had measurable concentrations of alcohol in blood. Seven persons had a concentration exceeding 1.5 promille. Seven were motor-vehicle drivers and two cyclists. A clear correlation between alcohol intoxication and severe injuries was found. All nine persons intoxicated were thus taken care of as inpatients and three of them were badly injured. Six persons of the total 70 declared that they were on continuous drug therapy because of chronic diseases. Two persons had taken benzodiazepines or aspirin in close relation to the accident. Unfortunately no blood analyses regarding drugs of this type have been performed so far. A few urine samples in selected cases have been analyzed for traces of drugs implying a possible traffic-safety risk. All of them have been negative. From the results of this preliminary report we conclude that alcohol intoxication is rare in a traffic injury population, that there is a connection between severe injury and alcohol intoxication and finally that drug influence of any importance seems extremely rare in traffic accidents.