Single Vehicle Fatal accidents.

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dewdrop

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Media reports would suggest large number of such tragic accidents. Wondering if there is any data regarding if there is an increase in such accidents and if yes what is suspected to be the main reason.
 
Couldn't tell you about the trends but before anyone jumps in with the 'Speeding is the cause' I'd like to pre-empt that by saying that I believe Inappropriate Speed is probably a major factor. Alcohol and tiredness are probably high up there. Incompetence has to be a factor at times also but not one that is ever reported (for obvious reasons). Mechanical Failure would be the only other cause I can think of at the mo.
 
I would be suspicious of suicide by way of car, to be honest, as a potential cause.
I doubt if any of these deaths would be named as such by the coroner though.

Nicola
 
I remember reading somewhere that suicide is thought to be the reason for 25% of single car crashes. And where there are no skid marks, the figure must be very high. Scary thought isn't it?
 
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Wow, never thought of suicide...some way to go (and the no skid marks...could be asleep at the wheel?)
 
People taking their eyes off the road, for example texting, using their phone, picking something up, looking around them...

Road conditions. Wet, icey, slippey, potholes, uneven surfaces, bad corners, etc.

Animals running in front of a car and the driver swerving to avoid.

Other cars behaving badly and then leaving the scene.
 
Suicide is I believe a significant factor in the numbers and should be easily identifiable but for historic/religious reasons in this country tends not to be identified as the cause in inquests.
It should be easy enough as said no skid marks, seatbelts not in use etc....
 
Careless driving
Driving makes of cars which the driver does not have the skill to drive properly,
Boy racers (and I'm not saying all boy racers are bad drivers, but some have a vastly inflated opinion of their driving ability)
Speed
Failure to enfore driving regulations by the Gardai.
Drink and drugs
Suicide
Attitude to driving by foreign nationals, I have a perception that there seems to be a greater % of non-nationals killed on our roads then are a % of the popualtion overall
 
Mpsox said:
Attitude to driving by foreign nationals, I have a perception that there seems to be a greater % of non-nationals killed on our roads then are a % of the popualtion overall
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wouldn't agree with this, from a little research i did a few years ago they were bang on their percentage of the population (10%)
 
dereko1969 said:
wouldn't agree with this, from a little research i did a few years ago they were bang on their percentage of the population (10%)
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they have a higher tendancy to drink drive. thats according to garda in my area.

otherwise alcholol/speed and bad roads major cause. two boys buried in donegal yday - 30 people killed on that 1km stretch. accident last night on same spot.
 
There is absolutely no way imo that you could conclude that a Single Vehicle Fatal accident was suicide unless the deceased left a note .
 
demoivre said:
There is absolutely no way imo that you could conclude that a Single Vehicle Fatal accident was suicide unless the deceased left a note .
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I agree you can't conclude with certainty but I know of at least one where the circumstances of the crash would leave you wondering
 
demoivre said:
There is absolutely no way imo that you could conclude that a Single Vehicle Fatal accident was suicide unless the deceased left a note .
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Do you remember many many years ago when the suicide rate was nil? No? Then you are pretty young. In those days the coroner did not like to put suicide as a cause for religious reasons/save family's face etc. Some of these single car accidents ARE suicide. Or else the sleeping/suddenly confronted with animal/heart attack driver was in extremely bad luck to drive into a tree/pier/telephone pole etc. (without applying the brakes) when it was far far likelier to demolish a hedge/ditch/or just a plain bend. You could also say that when a victim leaves a note ....... it was only a dummy run and that the victim did not intend this particular trial to be the real thing. You've got to be realistic here. If someone jumps from a ten storey window/viaduct/tower, do they have to leave notes .........
 
meatmonger said:
they [foreign nationals] have a higher tendancy to drink drive. thats according to garda in my area...
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First, I'd treat the opinion of one Garda as just that: one person's opinion. That opinion might be based on fact, or it might be based on simplistic prejudice.

Second, it seems to me that foreign nationals are more likely to drink at home than in a pub. That might reduce the incidence of drink-driving.
 
Except when they're in a friend's house and go to drive home.
 
dewdrop said:
Media reports would suggest large number of such tragic accidents. Wondering if there is any data regarding if there is an increase in such accidents and if yes what is suspected to be the main reason.
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Getting back to the OP's question, can anybody link relevant data or even Media reports ?
 
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