Vehicular suicide
Suicide |
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Vehicular suicide is the use of a motor vehicle to intentionally cause one's own death.
Suffocation
Suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning may be attempted by running the engine in an enclosed garage, or by piping the exhaust gas into the driver's compartment with a hose, but catalytic converters required for air quality regulations eliminate over 99% of carbon monoxide produced.[1]
Traffic collisions
Intentional
The probability and severity of traffic collisions may be increased by suicidal behaviors including
Implications
Aside from use for premeditated suicides, as commuters spend more time driving, vehicles may be available at the instant of a momentary and temporary impulse towards self-destruction fueled by road rage. Suicides comprise nearly two-thirds of the 33,000 annual gun deaths in the United States.[10] Motor vehicles remain widely available while gun control reduces access to firearms. The percentage of traffic fatalities which are suicides appears to be increasing with time.[7]
Understanding the fraction of traffic fatalities attributable to suicide is important because many
People can also stand or walk in front of oncoming traffic; this is different from insurance fraud as the person in question is trying to intentionally cause fatal bodily injuries to themselves.
See also
References
- S2CID 34394596.
- S2CID 145513013.
- ISBN 92-4-156260-9.
- S2CID 46631419.
- ^ "Key Injury and Violence Data". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- PMID 7676880.
- ^ a b c d Evans, Leonard. "Driver behavior". Science Serving Society. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "Suicide Warning Signs and Symptoms". Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- PMID 22269574.
- ^ Casselman, Ben; Conlen, Matthew; Fischer-Baum, Reuben. "Gun Deaths". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 23 September 2020.