Prevention of Drinking and Driving

T crashes are the leading drivers in single­vehicle fatal crashes are disproportionately involved in cause of death in the United with those of drivers stopped at ran­ alcohol­related traffic deaths. Approx­ States for persons ages 1 to 34 dom in nationwide surveys indicates imately 3 in 5 Americans will be in­ (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that each 0.02­percent increase in BAC volved in an alcohol­related crash at 1995). In 1995, 41 percent of fatal traf­ nearly doubles a driver’s risk of being some point in their lives (NHTSA and fic crashes involved a driver or pedestri­ in a fatal crash (Zador 1991). The risk National Institute on Alcohol Abuse an who had been drinking (National increases more rapidly with each drink and Alcoholism [NIAAA] 1996). In Highway Traffic Safety Administration for drivers under age 21, who have less [NHTSA] 1996b). This article reviews experience in driving and who, as a addition, alcohol­impaired driving the nature and extent of the drinking­ group, more often take risks in traffic, often has an impact on innocent vic­ driving problem in the United States, such as speeding or failing to wear tims. In 1995, 39 percent of people discusses major legal and community seatbelts. For all groups of drivers, fatal killed in crashes involving drivers initiatives in the past 15 years to re­ crash involvement per miles driven who had been drinking were persons duce the problem, and examines other increases ninefold at BAC’s of 0.05 other than the drinking driver. potential interventions for further re­ to 0.09 percent (Zador 1991). ducing injuries and fatalities from alcohol­impaired driving. Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., is a professor PROBLEMS POSED BY ALCOHOL­ and chair of the Social and Behavioral IMPAIRED DRIVING Sciences Department, Boston Univer­ ALCOHOL AND IMPAIRMENT sity School of Public Health, Boston, In 1995 there were 17,274 alcohol­ Massachusetts. Even at blood alcohol concentrations related traffic fatalities and approxi­ (BAC’s) as low as 0.02 percent, alco­ mately 300,000 persons injured in The author’s research was supported hol affects driver performance by re­ alcohol­related crashes (NHTSA by the Massachusetts Governor’s ducing reaction time and slowing the 1996b). Young people, people previ­ Highway Safety Bureau and Join decisionmaking process. Epidemio­ ously convicted for driving under the Together, a program of the Robert logical research comparing BAC’s of influence (DUI), and males in general Wood Johnson Foundation.