occurence and consequences
During 2003, 17,013 people in the
U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes,
representing 40% of all traffic-related deaths (NHTSA
2004a).
• Alcohol is a factor in about one-half of all fatal
traffic collisions in the United States.
• Arrest
•In 2002, about 1.5 million drivers were arrested
for driving under the influenceof alcohol or narcotics
(NHTSA 2004a). That?s slightly more than one percent
ofthe 120 million self-reported episodes of alcohol?impaired
driving among U.S.
adults each year (Dellinger 1999).
• Drugs
other than alcohol
•(e.g., marijuana and cocaine)
are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver
deaths. These other drugs are generally used in combination
with alcohol (NHTSA 2003).
•Endangering
others
• More than two-thirds of child passengers ages 14
and younger who died inalcohol-related crashes during
1997?2002 were riding with the drinking driver; only
32% of them were properly restrained at the time of
the crash (Shults 2004).
• Cost
• Each year, alcohol-related crashes in the United
States cost about $51 billion(Blincoe 2002).
male
vs female
Male drivers involved in fatal motor
vehicle crashes are almost twice as likelyas female
drivers to be intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration
(BAC) of 0.08% or greater (NHTSA 2004b).
A BAC of 0.08% is equal to or greater than the
legal limit in most states.
old vs young
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration, the
risk of being involved in a crash is greater for young
people than for older people (Zador 2000). In 2003,25%
of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle
crashes had been drinking
alcohol (NHTSA 2004c).
Young men ages 18 to 20 (under the legal drinking
age) reported driving while impaired almost as frequently
as men ages 21 to 34 (Liu 1997).
motorcycle
accidents
Among motorcycle drivers killed in fatal crashes,
30% have BACs of 0.08% or greater (Paulozzi 2004).
Nearly half of the alcohol-impaired motorcyclists
killed each year are age 40 or older, and motorcyclists
ages 40 to 44 years have the highest percentage of
fatalities with BACs of 0.08% or greater (Paulozzi
2004).
Have Heard of BAC Levels
Overall, more than four out of five
(84%) persons age 16 to 64 have heard of blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) levels. . Non-Hispanic White persons
of drinking age are significantly more likely to be
aware of BAC levels than other
racial groups, with 89% awareness. Fewer than three-fourths
of those in other racial groups have heard of BAC
levels
Knowledge of State's
BAC Legal Limit :
The reported higher awareness of BAC levels by non-Hispanic
White persons age 16 to 64 is substantiated in proven
knowledge. More than half (53%) of those non-Hispanic
White persons who are aware of BAC levels think they
know the legal limit for their
state, with almost six in ten (57%) of those being
correct in their knowledge.
Non-Hispanic Blacks:
are much less likely to say they know their state?s
BAC limits
(only 38% do) and are the least likely among those
who purport knowledge to give a correct answer for
their state, with just 40% having correct knowledge.).
About four in ten (44%) Hispanics say they know the
legal BAC level for their state, while half (50%)
are correct in their knowledge
Risk
Factor
Nearly three quarters of those convicted
of driving while impaired are either frequent heavy
drinkers (alcohol abusers) or alcoholics (alcohol
dependent) (Miller 1986).
Among drivers involved in fatal crashes, those with
BAC levels of 0.08% or higher were nine times more
likely to have a prior conviction for driving while
impaired (DWI) than were drivers who had not consumed
alcohol (NHTSA 2004a).
Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is a factor in about 18% of all fatal
crashes in NSW. This figure is even higher (27%) in
country areas. In fact, 70% of all fatal drink drive
crashes happen in the country.
The majority (90%) of drink drivers in fatal crashes
are men.
One third of all drink drivers in fatal crashes are
aged 17-24 years (despite making up only about one-seventh
of all licensed drivers).
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