scholarly journals An evaluation of the effects of lowering blood alcohol concentration limits for drivers on the rates of road traffic accidents and alcohol consumption: a natural experiment

The Lancet ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 393 (10169) ◽  
pp. 321-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houra Haghpanahan ◽  
Jim Lewsey ◽  
Daniel F Mackay ◽  
Emma McIntosh ◽  
Jill Pell ◽  
...  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Lewsey ◽  
Houra Haghpanahan ◽  
Daniel Mackay ◽  
Emma McIntosh ◽  
Jill Pell ◽  
...  

Background It is widely recognised that drink driving is a leading cause of road traffic accidents (RTAs). There is evidence that changing the drink-drive limit from a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 to 0.05 g/dl is effective in reducing RTAs. Scotland changed the blood alcohol concentration limit to 0.05 g/dl on 5 December 2014. Aims To assess whether or not the numbers and rates of RTAs and per capita alcohol consumption in Scotland were reduced because of the 2014 drink-drive legislation. To assess whether or not the 2014 change in legislation provided good value for money. Design A natural experimental, quantitative study. The control group was England and Wales, that is, the other countries in Great Britain, where the drink-drive legislation remained unchanged. Setting Great Britain. Participants The entire population of Scotland, England and Wales for the period of January 2013–December 2016. Intervention The change to drink-drive legislation in Scotland. Outcome measures The counts and rates of RTAs; and per capita alcohol consumption. Methods For the numbers and rates of RTAs (both traffic flow and population denominators were used), and separately for the intervention and control trial groups, negative binomial regression models were fitted to panel data sets to test for a change in outcome level after the new 2014 legislation was in place. To obtain a ‘difference-in-differences’ (DiD)-type measure of effect, an interaction term between the intervention group indicator and the binary covariate for indicating pre and post change in legislation (‘pseudo’-change for the control group) was assessed. For off- and on-trade per capita alcohol sales, and separately for the intervention and control trial group, seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average error models were fitted to the relevant time series. Results The change to drink-drive legislation was associated with a 2% relative decrease in RTAs in Scotland [relative risk (RR) 0.98, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.04; p = 0.53]. However, the pseudo-change in legislation was associated with a 5% decrease in RTAs in England and Wales (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.00; p = 0.05). For RTA rates, with traffic flow as the denominator, the DiD-type estimate indicated a 7% increase in rates for Scotland relative to England and Wales (unadjusted RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.17; p = 0.1). The change to drink-drive legislation was associated with a 0.3% relative decrease in per capita off-trade sales (–0.3%, 95% CI –1.7% to 1.1%; p = 0.71) and a 0.7% decrease in per capita on-trade sales (–0.7%, 95% CI –0.8% to –0.5%; p < 0.001). Conclusion The change to drink-drive legislation in Scotland in December 2014 did not have the expected effect of reducing RTAs in the country, and nor did it change alcohol drinking levels in Scotland. This main finding for RTAs was unexpected and the research has shown that a lack of enforcement is the most likely reason for legislation failure. Future work Investigations into how the public interpret and act on changes in drink-drive legislation would be welcome, as would research into whether or not previous change in drink-drive legislation effects on RTAs in other jurisdictions are associated with the level of enforcement that took place. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN38602189. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 7, No. 12. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 1525-1531
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Yadollahi ◽  
Forough Pazhuheian

Background: There is strong evidence that a substantial number of fatal as well as nonfatal injuries in road traffic accidents result from alcohol consumption and abuse. Aims: To examine the relationship between blood alcohol concentration and characteristics of injury in trauma patients admitted to a major teaching hospital. Methods: This was a cross-sectional investigation of trauma characteristics among 38 435 car and motorcycle drivers referred to the South of Iran Trauma Center between October and March 2018. A log-binomial regression model was used to evaluate the relative risk of each covariate on the Injury Severity Score. Results: There were 253 patients (7.78%) with alcohol consumption. Also, blood alcohol level was positive in 8.66% and 6.93% of car and motorcycle drivers, respectively. The ISS in alcohol consumers and nonconsumers was 6.34 (standard deviation; 8.73) and 4.12 (7.78), respectively, which was significantly higher in the alcohol consumers (t test = 12.96, P < 0.001). Therefore, alcohol consumption was a significant factor in increasing the relative risk of injury, which was 2.83 units more than among drivers who had not consumed alcohol. Conclusions: Our findings show that the police and law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to enforce stricter rules to reduce drink driving and the burden of trauma on the healthcare system.


1982 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rufus Crompton

An analysis of 208 cases of immediate death in a road traffic accident in which the blood alcohol was estimated, showed a definite characteristic distribution of varying blood alcohol levels in the various types of road users of differing age and sex.


Author(s):  
Nguyen Duc Chinh ◽  

Purpose: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is still considered as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality of victims by traffic accident. Despite a fact that many measurements and preventions have been applied, the rate of TBI is remained high. Aim of this study was to investigate treatment process of TBI caused by road traffic accident at Viet Duc Hospital after the Decree 100 which has been issued in Vietnam in early 2020. Materials and method: A retrospective and prospective study has been conducted in Viet Duc Hospital from Dec, 2020 to March, 2021. All the patients with TBI by road traffic accident were enrolled. Severity of TBI was identified by Glasgow Scale (GCS) and BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) test taken on arrival. The data was collected from medical record as well as autopsy report and analysed by SPSS.20.0 Results: A total of 150 patients with TBI by road traffic accidents were enrolled, age group from 21 to 60 years old accounted for 64%, male accounted for 86.7%. Associated injuries were maxillofacial lesions 48%, extremities 24.7%, chest accounted for 20%. Severity of TBI with GCS 6 - 8 was the highest rate 52%, from 3 - 5 GCS accounted for 30%. 40% were operated on emergency; BAC was positive 46.7%, of which over from 50 mg/L accounted for 32.6%. The patients with GCS from 6 to 8 were BAC positive accounted for a higher rate than groups with GCS above 9 or below 5. The most common TBI lesions were subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hematoma and cerebral edema accounted for 67.3%, 60% and 58% respectively. Overall mortality was 26% including in-hospital death and discharged to die. Conclusions and recommendations: Data from the study has shown that many young men with severe TBI by road traffic accident were BAC positive which can results in the high risk of death and disability. Thus, we highly recommend counterparts should constantly strengthen the propaganda and enforcement measures in order to reduce traffic accidents and TBI patients. Keywords: traffic accidents; injury; brain trauma severity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10
Author(s):  
Hideto Suzuki ◽  
Takanobu Tanifuji ◽  
Satoko Kimura ◽  
Tatsushige Fukunaga

Background Alcohol consumption may be a risk factor for accidental deaths; however, characteristics of alcohol-related deaths are unclear. We investigated characteristics of alcohol-related accidental deaths to facilitate target strategies. Methods In this article, 1060 cases of accidental deaths examined by the Tokyo Medical Examiner’s Office (2015) were divided into two groups: deceased individuals who drank alcohol (alcohol; n = 212) and those who did not (control; n = 848). Age, sex, alcohol consumption patterns, and manners/causes of deaths were compared. Places where individuals in the alcohol group met with an accident, and their blood alcohol concentration was assessed. Results Lower mean age (60.5 vs. 73.7 years) and a higher male ratio (75.9% vs. 58.5%) were observed in the alcohol group. Daily alcohol consumption was more common in the alcohol group (70.8% vs. 13.4%). Falling was the leading cause of death in the alcohol group, but without a significant difference (alcohol: 31.6%, control: 30.4%). Incidence rates of drowning (22.2% vs. 7.9%) and poisoning (11.3% vs. 2.0%) were significantly higher in the alcohol group. The mean blood alcohol concentration was 1.6 mg/mL. Of the total alcohol-related accidents, 60.8% occurred at home. Falling down the stairs was the primary type of falling, and majority of drownings occurred in a bathtub. Conclusion Male habitual drinkers (middle-aged to older adults) should be targeted to prevent alcohol-related accidental deaths. More than 50% of deaths occurred at home and care should be taken when performing daily activities, including using stairs and while bathing.


1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
K A Hadidi ◽  
A H Battah ◽  
S Hinnawi

The magnitude of alcohol-associated incidents in relation to medicolegal cases, including road traffic accidents and acts of violence, has not been evaluated in Jordan. Between 1993 and 1995, 825 such cases received at Jordan University Hospital were screened for the presence of alcohol. Blood alcohol was positive in 9.1% of vehicle passengers, 9.6% of pedestrians, 12.4% of cases involving violence, 13.6% of drivers, 65% of cases brought by police and in 12.5% of other cases. Blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) ranged from 10–350 mg/dL. BAC of more than 50 mg/dL was found in 65% and 55% of driver and violence cases respectively, and in 33% to 69% of the other categories. Alcohol may have contributed to some of these incidents. In cases with positive BAC, prior alcohol intake was frequently denied. There was no association between cases with positive BAC and a particular time, date or occasion.


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