Citation

Eriksson A. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1982; 1982: 247-253.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1982, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

There has been an increase in the number of snowmobile accidents in northern Sweden in the last few years. This increase seems to be parallel with the rapid increase in the number of snowmobiles. In the present study all the 31 fatal accidents reported in northern Sweden in the period January 1, 1974-July 1, 1980 have been scrutinized. A great majority of the fatalities were men, two thirds of them between 20 and 40 years old. Most accidents occurred at weekends and over holidays in springtime when the traffic is heaviest. About two thirds of the fatal accidents occurred at night. Drowning, lacerations of the head and thorax were the most common causes of death. Twenty-one out of the twenty-five killed drivers were found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. This suggests that alcohol was a major contributing factor. The importance of alcohol as a causative factor was also confirmed in a clinical investigation. Preventive measures against alcohol consumption in connection with the use of snowmobiles seem to be needed.