a random question

many, many years ago when i was trying to get a summer job, i applied for a job as a courier. the office was in a nice converted home, and it appeared in all ways to be a legitimate job. however, i felt a bit odd when i discovered one of the questions on the job application was a request for my blood type. i mentioned something to the man who had given me the application, half in jest, and half truly curious. he seemed to think there was something gauche about my not understanding the question, and i figured i was being naive. needless to say, i did not get the job. i decided from his reaction that this is one of those things that would make sense in time. well... i've applied for a lot of jobs since then, and i have never seen this on a job application and still cannot think of a good reason for this question. now, the job would involve a lot of driving. however, in the case of an auto accident, the information would need to be with me instead of in a file somewhere and there is no need to collect it from every applicant. is this a completely bizarre question to put on a job app or is there a perfectly reasonable explanation that my career path has not shown me?