title: Road Traffic Suicide in Switzerland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine details of road traffic suicides in Switzerland between 2000 and 2010 and to look at our results in relation to studies from other countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data analysis of road traffic suicides extracted from the database of all suicides investigated by Swiss institutes of forensic medicine between 2000 and 2010 using a standardized assessment sheet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 4,885 suicides in Switzerland, we identified 76 cases (1.56%) of road traffic suicide. Twenty-three cases had to be excluded because, although the forensic medical experts suspected suicide, they could not establish it for sure. That left 53 cases (1.02% of all suicides), mostly unmarried men, who were on average 9 years younger than the study population as a whole. Most collided with other vehicles, mainly other cars, and usually on main highways or country roads. In most cases, the cause of death was multiple injuries. Other persons were killed 4 times more often than with other suicide methods. Toxicology screening was performed significantly more frequently than with other methods but more often proved negative. Acute psychiatric problems were commonly assumed to be the underlying reasons. Suicide notes were left by only 20%, a lower proportion than in the study population as a whole.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Road traffic suicides account for approximately 1% of all suicide methods used in Switzerland, although unclassifiable cases indicate that the rate might be higher. Every road traffic crash should therefore be routinely investigated by an interdisciplinary team and suicide should be considered as the possible cause.
authors: a Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors: Saskia
authors: S
authors: Gauthier
authors: b Hospital for Psychiatry , Münsingen , Switzerland.|c University Hospital of Psychiatry Bern , Bern , Switzerland.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Reisch
authors: d University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich , Switzerland.
authors: Vladeta
authors: V
authors: Ajdacic-Gross
authors: a Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Bartsch
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: SNSF; Swiss; collision; driver suicide; forensic; motor vehicle; self-harm