Association of alcohol-related laws with deaths due to motor vehicle and motorcycle crashes in the United States, 1980-1997.
The authors compared US motor vehicle and motorcycle mortality rates during periods when each of several alcohol-related laws were in effect with mortality rates during other periods. During the period 1980-1997, there were 792,184 deaths due to motor vehicle crashes and 63,052 deaths due to motorcycle crashes. An estimated 26% and 49% of these fatalities, respectively, were attributable to alcohol use. The incidence of alcohol-related mortality in motor vehicle crashes was lower when laws specifying a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 g/dl per se (laws stating that it is a criminal offense to drive with a blood alcohol concentration above the state's legal limit) were in effect (adjusted rate ratio (RR) = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83, 0.88). For motorcycle deaths, the adjusted rate ratio was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.95). The incidence of alcohol-related mortality in motor vehicle crashes was also lower during periods when two other types of laws were in effect: zero tolerance laws (adjusted RR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.90) and administrative license revocation laws (adjusted RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.98). Overall motorcycle mortality was lower when administrative license revocation laws were in effect (adjusted RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.98).
Villaveces
Andrés
A
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. avillav@laciudad.com
Cummings
Peter
P
Koepsell
Thomas D
TD
Rivara
Frederick P
FP
Lumley
Thomas
T
Moffat
John
J
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009049:Motorcycles; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology