The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published a study carried out by Preusser Research Group, Inc. providing an updated picture of the involvement of various cultural populations in alcohol-related pedestrian crashes. The study also identifies cultural barriers to prevention in each group and recommends strategies for future research aimed at reducing these crash problems. The study was based on an analysis of 53,904 pedestrian deaths between 1984 and 1993. Blood alcohol content was reported for 67 percent of these fatalities. Data from NHTSA's Fatal Analysis Reporting System were linked to data from the Centers for Disease Control to obtain information about race. Data on ethnicity were obtained from crash files from six states: Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and San Diego County in California.
Among white, black, and Hispanic pedestrians aged 15 and older who died in crashes, it was found that, on average, 39 to 47 percent had BACs of .10 percent or above. The proportion increased to 84 percent among Native Americans. Among Hispanics, the highest levels of alcohol involvement were found in Hispanic males 21 and older and among blacks (for both males and females) the highest rates were for pedestrians over age 25. For Native Americans, very high levels were found in both men and women of all ages. Asian and Pacific Island Americans, on the other hand, had proportions of alcohol involvement in pedestrian crashes that were extremely low.
Member of three ethnic groups (Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans) participated in a series of focus groups to explore cultural conditions that might help reduce pedestrian fatalities. Black focus group participants said that they thought the overall drinking rate among blacks was lower than for whites. They identified problem drinking as occurring primarily among older adult males with lower socio-economic status.
Hispanic participants identified heavy drinking as a social activity engaged in by young males in particular. The described social drinking as an integral part of Hispanic life. Men typically drink in separate groups at parties or celebrations where they consumed large quantities of alcohol. The ability to drink heavily without showing intoxication is valued in the culture. Hispanic women drink less and tend not to intervene with men's drinking.
Native American focus group participants believe that alcohol abuse is primarily a problem among young adult males. Social drinking is less a part of the social fabric than it is for whites, blacks, or Hispanics. When Indian males decide to drink heavily, they tend to go off the reservation where they quickly drink large amounts of alcohol. Then, they must navigate their way back home, sometimes by foot, often over long distances on rural roads.
Focus group participants discussed possible countermeasures for the alcohol-impaired pedestrian problem. They did not believe that additional laws or modifications to current laws would be useful. They thought there was little to be gained by working with the pedestrians themselves or with alcohol servers or vendors. All groups favored increased public support for treatment and detoxification facilities. They also agreed that providing alternative means of transportation to impaired pedestrians would be a positive approach. The focus groups of blacks and Hispanics expressed concern that enforcement-based countermeasures would have to be carefully implemented to avoid the appearance of harassment of these groups. To obtain a copy of the report, Identification of the Alcohol-Pedestrian Crash Problem Among Culturally Diverse Groups, write to the Office of Research and Traffic Records, NHTSA, NTS-31, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, or send a fax to (202) 366-7096. For more information about this study contact Dr. Marvin Levy, Email: mlevy@nhtsa.dot.gov.
Less than one-half of one percent of aviation industry employees working in safety and security-related jobs tested positive for alcohol over the last two years, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported in January. Because of the low violation rates, the FAA is lowering the current minimum annual random rate for alcohol testing from 25 percent to 10 percent for calendar year 1998. The alcohol violation rate was approximately 0.06 percent for 1995 and approximately 0.08 percent for 1996. The random minimum drug testing rate remains the same at 25 percent. Random drug and alcohol testing is done on aviation industry personnel performing safety-sensitive duties. Random alcohol testing was first required by the FAA in 1995.
The regulation allows the FAA to reduce the alcohol testing rate to 10 percent if data received indicate a violation rate of less than one-half of one percent for two consecutive years. The fact that there are alcohol violations indicates the need for random testing, the FAA said. However, the low violation rate indicates that the safety concerns addressed by the regulation will be met with random testing of 10 percent, the FAA believes. If the violation rate increases, the FAA will increase the minimum random testing level.
A low rate of alcohol use by interstate truck and bus drivers, coupled with industry promotion of alcohol-free driving, led the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to reduce the random alcohol testing rate for 1998 to 10 percent of all drivers. The industry-wide requirement previously was 25 percent of all drivers. The alcohol testing "violation" rate was just 0.18 of all drivers tested in 1996. Because the violation rate was below 0.5 percent for two consecutive years, the testing regulations specify that the testing rate may be lowered. Commercial drivers who violate these strict alcohol regulations can lose their commercial driver's license if they register a blood alcohol concentration of .04 or more or if they refuse to test. No change is being made to the testing rate for illegal drugs, which remains at 50 percent of all drivers. The positive rate of violators using these controlled substances must drop below 1 percent for two consecutive years before the FHWA can reduce the testing rate to 25 percent. The rate for positive tests was 2.8 percent in 1995 and 2.2 percent in 1996. If the alcohol testing violation rate goes above 0.5 percent in the future, the FHWA can increase the rate of random testing. (Source: Press Releases FAA APA 0198, 1-2-98; FHWA 2-98, 1-13-98)
The British Government is developing a long-term strategy to reduce road casualties. Within that strategy the reduction of drink-drive accidents will play a major role. Whilst publicity and other measures taken over the years have brought about a slow but steady change in attitudes, there has been little change in casualty figures since 1993 and drink-related accidents still account for around 1 in 7 fatalities. New measures are needed if drink-drive casualties are to be further reduced.
In its 2 February 1998 Consultation Document, the Government has identified three main problem areas: 1) hardened drink-drivers, in particular repeat offenders (around 12% of offenders are convicted of a second offence within 10 years); 2) drivers who are not above the current limit, but nevertheless impaired (studies dating back to the 1960s show convincingly that impairment and the risk of a driver's involvement in a road accident begin, for most drivers, well below the current legal limit); 3) young men, particularly in their twenties, who are disproportionately involved in drink-drive accidents.
The Government believes that these problems have to be addressed on three main fronts: 1) improving enforcement; 2) improving the system of offences and penalties; 3) education, publicity and information. Improving enforcement could include increased police breath-testing powers; speeding up criminal proceedings; the possibility of requiring drink-drive offenders to use ignition interlock devices so that their car will not start unless the driver has provided a breath sample below a given level.
Perhaps 50 deaths could be prevented each year if the legal limit were reduced to 50mg and enforced as effectively as the current limit. Some 250 serious and 1200 slight injuries per year could also be prevented. The Government therefore is minded to lower the drink-drive limit to 50mg. A key question is whether a 12 months disqualification should apply at this limit.
High risk offenders (those convicted at 200mg or more, repeat offenders, and those who unreasonably refuse to give a sample) are a particular concern. The courts already effectively tailor their penalties to the alcohol level. There is in addition a medical procedure for high risk offenders - if they fail a medical examination designed to detect a chronic drink problem they may be refused a new licence or limited to a short-term one and further medical tests at each renewal. The Government proposes that more publicity should be given to these sanctions to increase their deterrent value.
Rehabilitation courses for drink-drive offenders have been operated experimentally since 1993. The courses are essentially educational and focused on the need to separate drinking and driving (they are not anti-alcohol as such but aim at promoting "sensible drinking"). All the signs to date are that these courses are reducing reoffending, even among the groups of drink-drivers who have proved least amenable to other interventions. The Government has recently launched a major extension of the geographical coverage of this experiment.
As novice drivers have high overall accident risks and feature quite high in drink-drive accidents (though not as much in their teens as in their twenties), the Government has considered the case for setting a lower legal limit for young drivers or for newly qualified drivers for a specified period after their test.
Concerning education, publicity and information, the Government proposes to encourage the provision, dissemination and use of suitable educational material, so that education in drink-drive begins at the school level. It will also continue a substantial programme of publicity, keeping alert to the need to target the appropriate groups and to find ways of reaching those who have proved hardest to target and will take steps to make drivers better aware of the relative strength of drinks. Views are also sought on whether the Government should encourage the use of self-testing breathalysers.
The consultation document is addressed both to representative organisations and to any member of the public who wishes to obtain it from the Department or through the Internet. Consultees are invited to send their comments by 8 May 1998. Please send them to: P H Openshaw, Road Safety Division, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Zone 2/13, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, LONDON SW1P 4DR, UK. Email: road-safety.detr@gtnet.gov.uk. The full document can be obtained at http://www.detr.gov.uk/roadsafe/drink/consult1/index.htm.
A new study conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada evaluates the impact of legislation passed in 1989 in Manitoba, Canada establishing administration licence suspension (ALS) and vehicle seizure and impoundment (VSI) for drinking and driving in the province. ALS imposes an automatic 90-day license suspension on driver who is found to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 80 mg% or who refuses to provide a breath test for alcohol. The 90-day suspension is applied independently of other suspensions imposed following conviction. VSI allows the police officer to seize at roadside and impound the vehicle of any person who is suspended, disqualified, or otherwise prohibited from driving. The impoundment is for a period of 30 days (60 days for a repeat occurrence).
The results of the evaluation indicate both general and specific deterrent effects associated with the introduction of ALS and VSI in Manitoba. In terms of general deterrence, the following effects were found: a net 12% decrease in drinking driver fatalities; an average monthly decrease of 1.2 drinking driver fatalities; a net 26% decrease in single vehicle nighttime (SVN) crashes; and an average monthly decrease of 11 SVN crashes. ALS and VSI were also found to have significant specific deterrent effects on drinking and suspended drivers. For example, ALS was associated with: a 44% reduction in repeat DWI offences within 4 years; a 19% increase in the probability of not being reconvicted of DWI after 6 years; a 50% decrease in subsequent DWI offences within 97 days following a DWI offence; a 44% decrease in other traffic offences within 97 days following a DWI offence; a 69% decrease in traffic crashes among DWI offenders in the 97 days following a DWI offence; and, a 51 % decrease in the time between the date of the DWI offence and the date of conviction in court. VSI was associated with: a 27% reduction in repeat DWS offences within 4 years; a 39% increase in the probability of not being reconvicted of DWS after 5 years; and, a 60% decrease in other traffic offenses within 30 days following a DWS offence.
Most respondents in the key informants' survey indicated that the programs were working well and were easy to administer. The report contains suggestions to improve the programs.
The report was authored by former ICADTS President Herb Simpson and ICADTS members Doug Bierness and Dan Mayhew. Copies of the evaluation can be obtained from the sponsoring agency: Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation, Transport Canada, 330 Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0N5. Ask for report No. ASF 1200-33-13-8-2.
A 50-state study of hardcore drunk drivers has been compiled by The Century Council, an anti-alcohol abuse organization founded by America's largest distillers. The study is contained in the sourcebook titled Combatting Hardcore Drunk Driving, which is the first publication of The Century Council's National Hardcore Drunk Driver Project. The study is the starting point of a national campaign to eliminate the problem. Information is offered to lawmakers and enforcement officials to help them develop stronger policies and programs. The Century Council will also conduct national field hearings to learn more from state and local policymakers. It will maintain an interactive web site on the Internet at http://www.dwidata.org.
Hardcore drunk drivers are defined as individuals who drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent (almost double the legal limit in some states) repeatedly, have more than one drunk driving arrest, and are resistant to change despite previous actions, treatment, or education efforts. Drivers with BACs in excess of 0.15 percent are only 1 percent of all drivers on weekend nights, but they are involved in nearly 50 percent of all fatal crashes during these periods. In the United States, almost one-third (27 percent) of all fatally injured drivers had BACs in excess of 0.15 percent, and they represent almost two-thirds (65 percent) of all fatally injured drivers who had been drinking at that time.
The 1995 Fatality Analysis Reporting System data show that previous DWI convictions increase in direct correlation with increases in BAC: Only 1.7 percent of non-hardcore drinking drivers had a prior DWI conviction compared to 12 percent of those with BACs of 0.15 to 0.19. This percentage increases to 16 percent for those with BACs of 0.20 or above. Estimates indicate that at least 35 to 40 percent of fatally injured drinking drivers had a prior DWI conviction. Of those, 80 percent had BACs of 0.15 or more, and almost 60 percent had BACs of 0.20 and more. Statistics relating to law enforcement and hardcore drunk drivers follow: Threat of police presence caused 61 percent of repeat offenders to stop their behavior for some period of time. When passive sensors are used to detect alcohol in the air, the detection rate of drivers tested at sobriety checkpoints with a BAC of 0.10 or greater increases by 50 percent. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia now permit sobriety checkpoints. (Source: Highway & Vehicle/Safety Report, January 19, 1998)
The ICADTS Executive Board recently elected new members to ICADTS. They include: Dr. Helene Fontaine, France, Mr. Ernie S. Grush and Dr. Barry K. Logan, USA, Dr. Raffaele Giorgetti, Italy, Dr. Hans Dieter Somen, Germany, and Dr. Alain Verstraete, Belgium. Each new member was nominated by two active ICADTS members and approved by the Membership Committee and the Executive Board. In addition, Dr. Stephen Seidl, Germany and Dr. Guyla Szipola, Hungary were approved as Affiliate members. Colleagues working in the field of alcohol, drugs and traffic safety who are interested in becoming members of ICADTS, can obtain information on ICADTS membership and an application, by checking the ICADTS Web Site or by contacting the ICADTS, Secretary Carol L. Popkin Council, Division of Mental Health, Department of Human Resources, 325 N. Salisbury Street #1168, Raleigh, NC 27603-5903, U.S.A. Phone: 919-733-4671, Fax: 919-733-9455, Email: cpopkin@dhr.state.nc.us. Dues for ICADTS are $60 per year.
March 29-April 1, 1998
Lifesavers 16-National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities-Cleveland, OH, USA
For information, contact Mary Magnini, Lifesavers 16, P.O. Box 30045, Alexandria, VA 22310, USA, Tel: 703-922-7944, Fax: 703-922-7780.
May 10-13, 1998
Alcohol Policy Conference XI-Creating Alcohol-Safe Communities through Alcohol Policies-Chicago, IL. US
For information, contact: Alcohol Policy Conference, Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs, American Medical Association, 515 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60610, Email: APCXI@ama-assn.org.
May 17-20, 1998
4th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Control-Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Contact Conference Secretariat, P.O. Box 1558, 6501 BN Nijmegon, The Netherlands, Tel: 31-24-323-4471, Fax: 31-24-360-1159, Email: reg.fowoco.nw@prompt.nl.
May 18-23, 1998
Tests for BAC in Highway Safety Programs-Supervision and Expert Testimony-Bloomimgton, IN USA
For information and registration, contact the Center for Studies of Law in Action, Indiana University, Sycamore Hall 302, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA, Tel: 812-855-1783, Fax: 812-855-7542.
July 26-29, 1998
24th International Forum on Traffic Records and Highway Information Systems-Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
For abstract and registration information, contact Creighton W. Miller, Accident Records, SSDDOT, 700 E. Broadway Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501-2586 USA, Tel: 605-773-4108, Fax: 605-773-4870, Email: creightonm@dot.state.sd.us. Web page: http://www.nsc.org/mem/htsd.htm.
August 30-September 4, 1998
The 42nd ICAA International Institute on the Prevention and Treatment of Dependencies-St. Julians, Malta
For registration and abstract information, contact ICAA at Case Postale 189, CH-1001 Lausanne, Switzerland, Fax: 41-21-320-98-17.
January 10-14, 1999
78th Annual Meeting of the U.S. Transportation Research Board - Washington, D.C., USA
Contact Dr. Richard Pain, Tel: 202-334-2960, Fax: 202-334-2003.
May 21-26, 2000
15th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety, ICADTS Jubilee Conference-Stockholm, Sweden
Contact the Conference Secretariat, c/o The Swedish National Road Administration, SE-781 87 Borlänge, Sweden, Tel: 46 243 75000, Fax: 46 243 75825, Email: t2000@vv.se. Also visit the T'2000 web site: http://www.vv.se/ts/t2000.htm.