Alcohol and drugs (medical and illicit) in fatal road accidents in a city of 300 000 inhabitants

During a 1-year period all fatal road accidents in the police district of Aarhus, Denmark, were investigated regarding the presence of alcohol, medical drugs or narcotic substances, and the nature of the accident. Out of a total of 30 accidents 24 were investigated. Two thirds had been caused by the victim him- or herself. In one third of the accidents alcohol was present and considered an important contributory factor. Medical drugs and narcotic substances played a lesser role.     

Analysis of fatalities in road accidents

This paper is based on the analysis of 524 autopsies carried out on the victims of road accidents at the Office of the Judicial Medical Officer, Colombo for a 2-year period ending December 1985. 51.4% of the fatalities were among pedestrians. The highest number of fatalities were in the age group 20-29 years. Cranio-cerebral injury was the commonest cause of death in all groups of victims.     

Compensation of personal injury resulting from road traffic accidents in Cameroon: a critical analysis

Road traffic accident compensation which is meant to address the financial rights and needs of those injured is faced with a lot of challenges and hurdles in Cameroon. The system is based on automatic compensation linked to a direct insurance of risks created by road accidents. This however, still does not guarantee a befitting and timely compensation. The fact that such actions still have to go through lengthy administrative and legal procedures, alongside costly legal fee for the assessment of damages, has made most claimants disappointed. Such concern over the system of compensation calls for a thorough address and redress of the issue. Most jurisdictions the world over have moved away from the court system of calculation of damages to a social security system where all persons injured in road accidents have a right to compensation while still maintaining their right to litigation. These schemes are based on the philosophy of social justice and community responsibility. The focus of this paper is to bring out the limitations of the current system of compensation of road traffic accidents in Cameroon. It undertakes a comparative analysis to evaluate the arguments in support of the introduction of a collective insurance scheme of compensation in Cameroon.     

道路交通事故颅脑损伤的法医学鉴定

目的　研究道路交通事故中颅脑损伤的类型、特点、主要并发症及其受伤人员的伤残评定。方法　 862例道路交通事故颅脑损伤的案例资料 ,按伤者受伤的不同部位、有无并发症、并发症的类型及伤残程度进行统计分析。结果　复合性颅脑损伤 2 76例 ,脑挫伤 192例 ,颅骨骨折 79例 ,颅内出血 91例 ,头皮外伤 2 2 4例 ;主要并发症为脑积水 ( 19例 ,2 2 0 % )、癫痫 ( 16例 ,1 86% )、偏瘫 ( 14例 ,1 62 % )、植物人状态 ( 12例 ,1 3 9% )。结论　道路交通事故中颅脑损伤 ,以头部复合性损伤最多见 ,严重的脑挫伤为最常见的损伤类型 ,并发症的诊断应掌握诊断标准 ,并注意与相关疾病鉴别。     

上海市道路交通事故受伤人员伤残分析

目的分析道路交通事故伤残的特征,为制定和修改伤残鉴定标准和相关法规提供参考。方法对上海市因道路交通事故受伤,2005年经法医评定构成伤残的案例资料进行回顾性分析。结果伤残部位以肢体最多（53.3%）,其次为头部（23.3%）,脊柱（9.7%）,胸部（5.8%）和腹部（4.4%）。2005年上海市交通事故年累积致残率为414.8/10万,男性（505.7/10万）高于女性（318.7/10万）,以35～59岁的致残率最高（538.2/10万）,60岁以上致残率呈现下降趋势（30.2/10万）。伤残者中交通方式以非机动车最多,其次为行人。结论2005年上海市道路交通伤致残率青壮年（35～59岁）最高,对社会经济和劳动力损失大。     

1110例汽车驾驶员及乘员交通伤特点分析

目的比较道路交通事故中汽车驾驶员及乘员的损伤特点,为汽车安全设计及事故预防提供参考。方法选择2006～2009年受理的交通伤害案件中373例汽车驾驶员及737例汽车乘员的伤残评定资料进行回顾性分析,对损伤部位的分布,多发伤的数量以及伤残等级进行比较。结果驾驶员损伤部位明显较乘员多,肢体、胸腹损伤发生率明显较乘员高,脊柱损伤的发生率明显较乘员低;驾驶员身体左侧受伤的几率较右侧高,而乘员左右损伤差异不显著;两类人员损伤所致伤残等级腹部、盆部分布显著不同,而其他部位无显著差异,但胸部、脊柱部位高等级伤残构成比乘员略多于驾驶员。结论汽车驾驶员与乘员损伤部位、数量及部分部位的损伤致残程度有差异,值得汽车安全设计及交通管理部门参考。     

Influence of alcohol intoxication of pedestrians on injuries in fatal road accidents

Pedestrians belong to the group of road users with the highest mortality rate. The frequency of road accidents involving pedestrians is 2% but pedestrians represent as many as 13% of all road accident deaths. Because of the mechanism and dynamics of injury and the effects of alcohol on physical and mental performance, pedestrians under the influence of alcohol are classed among the road users most at risk.Our retrospective study included 125 pedestrian fatalities treated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana between 1999 and 2006. We classified the victims into two groups by blood alcohol level Group I (alcohol positive) and Group II (alcohol negative), defined differences in gender, age, incidence of injuries and established causes of death and period of survival following the road accident. In Group I (n = 53) 96% were male and 4% female; the average age was 45.6 years. In Group II (n = 72) 40% were male and 60% female; the average age was 63.1 years. The percentage of injuries to individual parts of the body was higher in Group I than among the deceased pedestrians in Group II. The most common cause of death in both groups was craniocerebral trauma. Death occurred in the first 6 h following the accident in 92% of cases in Group I and in 69% of cases in Group II.Alcohol-positive pedestrians are predominantly younger men, who have a higher level of risk of a road accident, greater incidence of injuries and a shorter period of survival following a road accident.     

危化品公路运输事故研究现状及其防灾对策

危险化学品公路运输事故频繁发生,已成为严重影响社会公共安全的流动危险源。本文分析了危险化学品公路运输事故特点,总结了国内外危险化学品公路运输事故研究现状,指出我国目前研究的不足。在对危险化学品公路运输事故特点和研究现状充分认识基础上,结合我国的实际情况,提出了建设性的防灾对策及建议。     

道路交通事故所致精神损害的法医学评价

目的研究RTA所致PTSD的相关法医学问题,为司法实践中精神损害赔偿提供科学依据和司法建议。方法对156例因RTA申请伤残程度鉴定的被鉴定人,通过临床精神病学检查确定PTSD的诊断,法医临床学检查评定躯体损伤的伤残程度,并通过问卷调查进一步确定受害人的心理社会状态。结果156例被调查对象PTSD发生率为51.92%。男女PTSD的发生率具有统计学的显著性差异;随着伤残程度的严重性增加,发生PTSD的可能性也随着增加;PTSD组与非PTSD组在生活质量总均分和生理、心理、社会关系、环境四个维度以及焦虑、抑郁的各项得分中都有显著性差异;获得赔偿将明显降低PTSD的发生率。结论RTA作为创伤性事件,申请赔偿的RTA受害人存在较高的PTSD发生率,获得良好的赔偿可以明显地降低申请赔偿的RTA受害人PTSD的发生率。     

道路交通事故致儿童颅脑损伤伤残评定204例分析

目的研究道路交通事故致儿童颅脑损伤的类型、特点、主要并发症及其受伤人员伤残评定的特点。方法对204例车祸致儿童颅脑损伤的伤残评定资料按伤者受伤的不同部位、有无并发症、并发症的类型及伤残程度进行统计分析。结果单纯弥散性原发性脑损伤64例,单纯局灶性原发性脑损伤80例,全面性继发性脑损伤24例,局部性继发性脑损伤36例。主要并发症为外伤性癫疒间14例（6.9%）、外伤性脑梗死9例（4.4%）、外伤性脑积水7例（3.4%）、外伤性精神障碍5例（2.5%）。结论道路交通事故致儿童颅脑损伤,以单纯原发性颅脑损伤多见,容易并发外伤性癫疒间及外伤性脑梗死。对涉及儿童颅脑损伤的伤残评定应适当放宽标准,伤残评定标准应增加专门针对儿童的条款。     

道路交通事故损伤中的损伤部位与伤残关系

研究道路交通事故中活体损伤案例 ,损伤部位、伤残率、伤残程度之间关系。收集 1997年～ 1999年间武汉地区道路交通事故中活体损伤案例 35 47例 ,对其进行统计和分析。 1792例损伤被评残 ( 5 0 5 2 % ) ,伤残评定率最高的部位为周围神经损伤和耳外伤 ,分别为 90 0 0 % ,83 30 %。最低为躯干及四肢软组织损伤 ( 17 5 2 % )。伤残程度评定中Ⅸ～Ⅹ级和Ⅰ～Ⅴ级伤残评定率分别为 78 74%和 4 41%。伤残评定率与损伤部位的发生并不一致 ,伤后治疗效果直接影响伤残评定。伤残程度以Ⅸ～Ⅹ级最多 ,各部位损伤均可见 ,Ⅰ～Ⅴ级伤残较少 ,Ⅰ级伤残仅见于颅脑和脊髓损伤     

Road aggression among drinking drivers: Alcohol and non-alcohol effects on aggressive driving and road rage

This study specified aggressive driving (AD) and road rage (RR) and examined a number of alcohol and non-alcohol effects on and the reciprocity between the two behaviors in a drinking driving population. The sample contained 431 clients (79 percent men) who volunteered to complete a self-report survey from fifty alcoholism and substance abuse treatment facilities across New York State. All subjects were undergoing alcoholism treatment because of a drinking driving-related reason. Structural equation modeling with the LISREL program was employed to estimate the reciprocal effects between AD and RR. The results demonstrated that AD and RR were two separate behaviors that simultaneously influenced each other. Additionally, AD and RR, as problem behaviors, tended to be affected mostly by other problem behaviors, such as alcohol problems, impaired driving, and feelings of depression, rather than general situations or behaviors, such as the frequency of alcohol use, driving after drinking, and the experience of stressful life events. The findings convey a message to the criminal justice field as well as alcoholism and substance abuse treatment professionals that addressing the problem of road aggression requires special attention to persons with alcohol problems and especially those with multiple drinking driving offenses.     

Alcohol and drugs in drivers fatally injured in traffic accidents in Sweden during the years 2000-2002

During the years 2000-2002, alcohol, pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs were analysed in blood samples from fatally injured drivers in Sweden. The total number of drivers was 920 and in 855 of these, corresponding to 93%, a toxicological investigation was performed. About 85% of the drivers were men and 15% were women. All but three women (96%) were car drivers while the corresponding figure for men was about 78% and about 13% were motorcyclists. The number of positive cases increased from 38.9% in year 2000 to 45.9% in year 2002 and alcohol was the most common drug with frequencies of 19.8%, 25.0% and 21.8% for the studied years 2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively. The median blood alcohol concentration ranged from 1.6 to 2.0mg/mL for men and from 1.2 to 1.8 mg/mL for women. There was a decrease in cases where alcohol was the only drug detected, from 52 out of 58 cases (90%) in year 2000 to 41 out of 61 cases (67%) in 2002. At the same time there was an increase, from 5.4% to 10.0% of illicit drugs, mainly amphetamine, and the cases with multiple drug intake increased from 10% to 26%. The prevalence of pharmaceuticals as the only drug or drugs detected decreased from 14.0% to 10.4% and in the majority of these cases the drug concentrations were within the therapeutic range.