Age, gender and early morning highway accidents

Accident register data, time budget studies and road traffic flow data were used to compute the age and gender-dependent relative risk [odds ratio (OR )] of being involved in a driving accident in which the driver was injured or killed. Alcohol-related accidents were excluded from the analysis. The r esults showed that the night-time risk, compared with that of the forenoon, was dramatically increased (OR = 5) for young drivers (18-24 years) and re duced for old (65 +) drivers. In direct comparison, the young drivers had 5 -10 times higher risk of being involved in an accident during late night th an during the forenoon, with the excess risk during the daytime being consi derably lower. Women had a less pronounced night-time peak than men. In dir ect comparison, men had twice as high a risk as women during the late night hours. The results clearly demonstrate a strong effect of young age on nig ht-time accident risk, together with a moderate effect of (male) gender.