SAFETYLIT WEEKLY UPDATE

We compile citations and summaries of about 400 new articles every week.
RSS Feed

HELP: Tutorials | FAQ
CONTACT US: Contact info

Search Results

Journal Article

Citation

Uhrenholt L, Schumacher B, Freeman M. Ugeskr. Laeger 2010; 172(39): 2683-2687.

Vernacular Title

Obduktion og blodprovetagning udfores sjaeldent ved trafikdrab.

Affiliation

Retsmedicinsk Institut, Aarhus Universitet, 8200 Ã…rhus N. lu@retsmedicin.au.dk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Den Alm Danske Laegerforening)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

20920396

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In some road traffic crashes with fatal outcome, the police investigations lead to charges against and prosecution of a person. The police can request a medico-legal autopsy as well as a toxicological examination, but the extent to which this is done, and the role hereof in the legal setting is unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Information concerning traffic crashes with fatal outcome in the period 2000-2004 in Aarhus Police District was retrieved and compared. The information included comprised crash specific and legal information, as well as medical data concerning autopsy, examination for alcohol, drugs and/or medicine. RESULTS: In all, 81 traffic crashes had a fatal outcome for 92 persons, of whom 17 (18%) were autopsied, 55 (60%) were tested for alcohol, and five (5%) were examined for drugs/medicine. Twenty-six were charged with negligent homicide, of which 18 were convicted. Autopsy was performed in four of these cases, 19 were tested for alcohol and one was tested for drugs/medicine. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the police requests few medico-legal autopsies following road traffic fatalities, and that testing for alcohol as well as drugs/medicine is not conducted routinely. As a consequence, important information may not come to the knowledge of the police in cases of negligent homicide. We recommend that postmortem examination be conducted routinely in traffic-related homicide cases to secure the best possible conditions for a legal evaluation.


Language: da

NEW SEARCH


All SafetyLit records are available for automatic download to Zotero & Mendeley
Print