Driver suicides in Finland--are they different in northern and southern Finland?
OBJECTIVE
This study focused on driver suicides in Finland. The first aim was to find out what the prevalence of these suicides was during the years 1974-2006. The second aim was to find out whether there were differences between northern and southern Finland in regards to the number of cases and the backgrounds of the drivers who committed suicide this way. Study design. All case reports of fatal motor vehicle accidents from the years 2005-2006 were investigated (n=528). Results were compared to the years previously investigated: 1974-1975, 1984-1985, 1987-1988, 1991-1992, 1993-1994 and 1997-1998 (n=3482).


METHODS
As driver suicides were classified, only those crashes in which the driver's intention had notably influenced the progress of the crash and the driver's background information clearly supported suicide. Driver suicides in northern and southern Finland were compared. Driver suicides were related to both the number of fatal motor vehicle accidents and the number of inhabitants.


RESULTS
Driver suicides increased during the period under study. However, both the number and the proportion of driver suicides have been quite constant since the beginning of the 1990s, averaging 20 per year, which is 8% of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in Finland. There were no differences in northern and southern Finland regarding driver suicides.


CONCLUSIONS
Driver suicides represent a small proportion (2%) of all suicides committed in Finland every year. However, the proportion of driver suicides of all fatal motor vehicle accidents is greater, around 8%-9%. As a majority of driver suicides are collisions, they affect an even larger group of people. Possible preventive measures are discussed.
Hernetkoski
Kati Maarit
KM
Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. Kati.Hernetkoski@utu.fi
Keskinen
Esko Olavi
EO
Parkkari
Inkeri Kaarina
IK
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult