Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Self-harm and car accidents

A study of newly-licensed drivers by researchers at the George Institute in Australia has found that those who had engaged in self-harm were more likely to be involved in car accidents. The researchers studied 18,871 newly-licensed Australian drivers aged between 17 and 24. 4.6% of the sample had engaged in self-harm - defined as: cutting and burning, poisoning, self-battering, road-related harm, risk-taking and attempted suicide - of whom 58.7% were women. Of those who had reported self-harm 10.1% had been involved in a crash and 84% of those who had had a crash were involved in multi-car pile-ups. The risks associated with self harm were significant even after age, sex, average driving hourse per week, psychological distress and amount of sleep had been taken into account.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131708.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

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