Organisation: Elaine Hardy PhD
Date of Publication: 2015
Uploaded to Knowledge Centre: 14 March 2023
This report analyses n.48 cases of collisions equal to n.51 vehicle occupant fatalities, of which n.30 were the drivers of the vehicle responsible for the collision; n.14 were passengers in the vehicle responsible for the collision, while n.4 drivers of other vehicles and n.3 passengers in other vehicles were fatally injured.
The cases reported in this study are the outcome of investigations carried out by the Road Traffic Collision Investigation Unit of the Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI) between January 2011 and December 2012.
In n.29/51 fatalities (57%), only the driver was killed and there was no other occupant in the vehicle. In n.9 cases (17%) the passenger in the car involved in the collision was killed.
Six deaths (12%) occurred in three collisions, both the driver and passenger were killed.
In n.4 cases (8%) the driver of the other vehicle (not responsible for the collision) involved in the collision was killed and separately n.3 passengers (6%) in the other vehicle involved in the collision was killed.
Based on the information available in the FSNI files, there were 67 other occupants injured, ranging from serious to slight.
35.3% (n.18) of those deceased was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
In n.24/48 cases the driver lost control of the vehicle and this caused the collision. In n.17 of these cases no other vehicle was involved.
In n.18/48 cases, evidence of alcohol or drugs was found in the blood of the driver responsible for the collision.
In n.8/15 cases where the driver was aged between 17 and 25 years, the driver had consumed alcohol over the legal limit, ranging from 97mg per 100 ml to approx. 280mg per 100 ml.
In four of these cases, evidence of drugs e.g. cocaine, cannabis or Diazepam were found in the driver’s blood.
In one case evidence of the anti-depressant drug Citalopram was found. In total n.11/15 (73%) of young drivers had consumed alcohol and/or drugs.
This study and analysis was carried out by Elaine Hardy PhD, Research Analyst, supported by the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund.
Click the following link to access the report: