Citation

Langley JD, McNoe B, Feyer AM. N. Zeal. Med. J. 2006; 119(1247): U2357.

Affiliation

Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin. john.langley@ipru.otago.ac.nz

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, New Zealand Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17195850

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the extent of bystander work-related traffic fatal injury for New Zealand as well as the contribution of all bystander events to the total burden of work-related fatal traffic injury and work-related fatal injury in general. METHODS: Potential cases were identified from national administrative databases. The circumstances of the deaths in each incident were reviewed directly from coronial files to determine work-relatedness. RESULTS: For 1985-1998 we identified 1447 people whose death was associated with another person's work activity on a public road and who were not working at the time. This compares with 241 "working" and 192 "commuting" deaths on a public road for the same period. Bystanders thus represented approximately 75% of the work-related fatal traffic crash injury problem. We estimate that (on average) approximately 115 bystanders were killed each year and this represents approximately 52% of the total work-related fatality problem. CONCLUSIONS: Work-related bystander deaths are a major contributor to work-related injury in New Zealand, the majority occurring in the context of road traffic crashes. These deaths deserve more attention than they have received to date.

Language: en