– The reality is that nothing has happened. Nothing. Jan Arne Laberget is a lorry driver and shop steward in the logistics department of the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation. No one knows how many people take their lives on Norwegian roads. Since 2016, the only thing that has been done is to decide that a committee will be set up to develop a common classification system. Laberget reacts strongly to the fact that no more has been done to put in place a system to map and investigate suicides in traffic. – It is terrible to think that it is only postponed and postponed. 7 per cent of the lorry drivers who responded to a survey from the Swedish Transport Association stated that they had been involved in what they suspected was a suicide accident. Jan Arne Laberget of the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation is calling for action from the government. Photo: Per Christian Lind / Yrkestrafikkforbundet No overview – There are many indications that there is under-reporting and dark figures in this area, says State Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications Tom Kalsås (Ap). State Secretary Tom Kalsås. Photo: Ingvald Nordmark / news Accidents where the police conclude suicide as the cause are taken from the publicly available statistics. Therefore, no one knows how many people take their lives on Norwegian roads. 182 deaths in traffic between 2005 and 2014 may have been suicide accidents. This is shown by a survey carried out by news in 2015. Earlier in December, news told the story of lorry driver Rune Pettersen, who two years ago collided head-on with a motorist who took his own life: Ten years behind Sweden In 2020, the Solberg government introduced a zero vision for suicide in Norway . At the same time, a number of measures were launched to achieve the goal. One of the measures involves putting in place a system to map the extent of suicide among vegans: “The government will establish more formalized and standardized criteria for the classification of suicide in traffic”. A similar system has been in place in Sweden since 2012. There they also have their own commission that investigates such accidents. Need someone to talk to? If you need someone to talk to, you can use one of these low-threshold services: Church SOS: Call 22 40 00 40, or write to soschat.no or meldinger.kirkens-sos.no The Red Cross’s service Cross on the neck is for you under 18 years. Telephone: 800 333 21. Write or chat on the website korspaahalsen.rodekors.no Mental Health Helpline: Call 116 123 or write to sidetmedord.no Parental support: Call 116 123 (key 2) Student telephone: Call 116 123 (key 3) Mental Health Youth . Aimed at young adults aged 18-36. Online chat service Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 17.00-21.00: www.mhu.no. The emergency telephone for children and young people. A free phone for children and young people who are exposed to violence, abuse and neglect. Telephone 116 111. Acute risk of suicide? Call 113 when it is urgent and your life is at stake. Call the emergency room on tel. 116117 for immediate assistance. You can also talk to your GP. The same was advised in 2016 “Standardized criteria should be a minimum for handling suicides in traffic and must be implemented by both the police, the health sector and the Norwegian Road Administration”. This was the conclusion of a committee that was asked to investigate the handling of suicides in traffic in Norway. That’s what Rita Aarvold of the Norwegian Road Administration wrote in an e-mail to news. The selection was part of the recommended already in 2016 to put in place a better system. The intended criteria that are used in Sweden should be used as a basis for the development of the Norwegian criteria. – The recommendations are based on professional requirements for what is required as a minimum to obtain more reliable suicide statistics, Aarvold explains. Rita Aarvold in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration Photo: Marthe Stoksvik / news Will set up a selection Since the zero vision was launched in autumn 2020, little has been done to put these criteria in place. In 2021, the Ministry of Transport considered whether an “interdisciplinary composite committee” should be set up. This year, the ministry has decided that such a selection should become a reality. – Concretely, we are now working to agree on the composition of that group, says Kalsås. The State Secretary cannot answer when this selection will be in operation. This has been done First year (2020–2021) In 2021, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will assess whether further work on developing standardized criteria for the classification of suicides in traffic should be anchored in an interdisciplinary composite professional group with, among other things, expertise within suicide research. Second year (2021–2022) The work to develop more standardized criteria for classifying suicides in traffic should be anchored in an interdisciplinary composite professional group with, among other things, expertise within suicide research. The composition of the group is to be assessed – Source: The Government – Would have received much better help Jan Arne Laberget of the Swedish Transport Association has spoken to relatives of eleven lorry drivers who have been involved in suicide accidents. Four of the drivers later quit their jobs as a direct consequence of the accident they were exposed to. Laberget is convinced that a classification system would make everyday life easier for truck drivers who have been exposed to this type of accident. – That would mean that our members could get much better support and help. Hi! Did you think of anything when you read this case, or do you have a tip for something else we should look into? Feel free to send me an email!
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Does not have a system to map suicides in traffic – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
