255 passenger car occupants, in the age range entitled to sick leave benefits (16-64 years), were injured in traffic crashes in the Swedish city of Umeaa (incidence = 26 injured per 10000 residents and year). Forty percent of them were on sick leave for an average of 121 days within the first 2.5 years following the injury event. Four to six years after the crash, nine persons were on disability pension and another nine were still on sick leave. Strain of the cervical spine was the most common type of injury (141; 55%), and these injuries accounted for 82 per cent of all sick leave within 2.5 years following the injury event. This injury type was responsible for 16 of the 18 cases, still on sick leave or disability pension 4-6 years after the injury event. The most common injury mechanism was rear-end collisions (100; 39%). This crash type caused 64% of all sick leave days within 2.5 years after the injury event. Eight out of the nine on disability pension had been struck from behind. (A)
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