Alcohol use, driving records, and crash culpability among injured motorcycle drivers.
Alcohol use, driving records, crash culpability, and crash conviction rates for 165 injured motorcycle drivers (MTCDs) were studied. Of the 165 MTCDs, 53.3% tested positive for alcohol (BAC+). Culpability determinations (n = 150) revealed that 83% of BAC+ and 46% of BAC-MTCDs caused their crashes (p < 0.001). Driving records (n = 145) revealed the following prevalence of one or more convictions for BAC+ and BAC-MTCDs: impaired driving (29% vs. 7%, p < 0.001); speeding (74% vs. 58%, p < 0.05); and reckless driving (68% vs. 44%, p < 0.002). Of the surviving culpable impaired MCTDs (n = 48), 16.7% received crash-related convictions, 12.5% received alcohol-related convictions. The reasons for the low conviction rates are probably multifactorial.
Soderstrom
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Department of Surgery, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Baltimore 21201-1595.
Dischinger
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Soderstrom
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D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003416:Criminal Law; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D009049:Motorcycles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States
D000431:Ethanol