Changes in the incidence of alcohol-impaired driving in the United States, 1973-1986.
Studies of motor vehicle fatality data have indicated that alcohol involvement in fatal crashes has declined substantially in the United States since 1980. To determine the actual incidence of alcohol-impaired drivers on U.S. roads, a national roadside survey using portable breath-testing devices was carried out in 32 localities in the spring of 1986. The same sampling design and survey procedures used in a 1973 national roadside survey were followed as much as possible. The 1986 survey found 3.1% of the late-night weekend drivers to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10% or more, compared to 4.9% of drivers in 1973. Similarly, 8.3% of the 1986 drivers were at or above 0.05% BAC, compared to 13.5% in 1973. The data indicate that the incidence of alcohol-impaired driving on weekend nights has fallen by one-third or more in the United States since 1973 and that the decline affected most population subgroups.
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Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arlington, Virginia 22201.
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D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000639:trends*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000639:trends*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001944:Breath Tests; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000431:Ethanol