Fatal traffic accidents involving electric scooters in Poland in 2019-2023.

With the introduction of mobile applications that allow short-term rentals, electric scooters (e-scooters) are gaining popularity as a means of micromobility in urban areas. The aim of the study was to assess the circumstances and causes of death in traffic accidents involving electric scooters in Poland. The inclusion criteria for the study were met by 9 cases (7 M,2F; mean age: 40.3 years). Accidents usually occur during working days during the warm months, especially during the morning traffic rush hour. Usually, these accidents involved another vehicle (4/9 cases). In addition, the victim was most often the driver (8/9 cases) and rarely uses a helmet (1/9 cases). In only two cases did the test reveal the presence of alcohol in the blood at the time of the accident. In studied cases, head injuries occurred in every case, and injuries to the limbs and chest occurred in more than half of the cases. Within the head, in addition to minor injuries like bruises and epidermal abrasions, skull fractures, and intracranial bleedings predominated. Similar minor injuries were also observed in the extremities, with significant fractures observed only in the lower extremities. Among chest injuries, lung contusions predominated. The most common cause of death was craniocerebral injury (6/9 cases), but there were two deaths each from chest injuries and polytrauma. To increase the safety of e-scooter users, it is recommended that measures be taken to educate users about the potential risks of using the vehicle and that measures be taken to increase the use of helmets, e.g. through legislative action. Further studies involving larger study groups are needed to assess the correlation between potential risk factors and the fatal outcome of the accident.

[Analysis of suicide cases in the autopsy material of the Department of Forensic Medicine Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Torun in 2011-2020]. / Analiza przypadków samobójstw w materiale sekcyjnym Katedry Medycyny Sadowej Collegium Medicum w Bydgoszczy Uniwersytetu Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu w latach 2011-2020.

Aim: Analysis of suicides on the basis of forensic post mortem examinations conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Bydgoszcz in comparison with data from previous years and other centers. Material and methods: The assessment included 6,564 forensic medical opinions from the post mortem examinations carried out in 2011-2020, including 1,073 cases of suicide, taking into account the sex and age of the victims, the place where the suicide was committed, the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, methods of committing suicides and date (month and year). Results: Suicides accounted for 16.34% of all post mortem examinations. The most common method of suicide was hanging - 73%. The second most common way to take your own life was fall from height - 8%. The most numerous age group among those committing suicide are people between 51 and 60 years of age. In most cases, the suicide victims were sober. There is a significant difference between the state of sobriety and the gender of the victim. Male victims were much more often under the influence of alcohol during the suicide. 14% of all suicides were committed by women, and 86% by men. Death as a result of suicide took place somewhat more often within the boundaries of large urban agglomerations than in towns and villages. Conclusions: The research showed an increase in the suicide rate compared to the previous years. Hanging is still the most common form of suicide. There has been an increase in the number of suicides in the elderly and an increase in the number of so-called combined suicides.