This paper presents the results of a study of all 480 autopsied car drivers, aged at least 18, who were fatally injured and died within three days of a crash in northern Sweden during the period 1977-89. The aim was to assess the part played by intrinsic medical factors (IMFs, disease) in initiating these crashes. Different degrees of risk of sudden incapacitation were estimated, based on the presence of IMFs in the drivers' medical histories and autopsies. Suicides were excluded from the study. To investigate the role of IMFs, the cases were first grouped into main categories of main causal factor: (1) environmental, including weather; (2) intoxication by alcohol, or other drugs; (3) driver behaviour; (4) vehicle fault; (5) behaviour by another driver; and (6) no obvious explanation. A score of 1 to 9 was used to grade the probability of driver disease contributing to the crash. A standard logistical model was used to control for age. The proportion of drivers found to have risk of sudden incapacitation was found to be about 21% for all drivers, 23% for males, and 9% for females. IMFs but not age as such were found to be important risk factors. No cases were found where IMFs definitely caused the crash, but 29 (6%) were found where they probably caused it, of whom 25 suffered from coronary heart disease.
Samenvatting