ROADSIDE SURVEY IN NORTHERN SWEDEN

After the historical background to the roadside surveys a roadside survey in Northern Sweden is presented. From January 1976 to May 1979, 10,515 drivers have been investigated and tested by breath and blood/urine analysis. Only 13 drivers (0.12%) have had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit i.e. 0.5 percent. Adding it to the results in the whole country (1,021,313 drivers analysed by breath and blood tests) Sweden has the lowest frequency of drinking/driving in the world. The authors analysed various social and medical factors and concluded that the majority of the drinking drivers are abusers. The assumption that punishment shall stop those drivers from drinking and driving is not correct. The results of fatal traffic accidents in the same area are also evaluated. In single fatal accidents 47% of drivers have been under the influence in comparison with 7% of drunken drivers killed in collisions. Therefore it is recommended to specify the type of the accident when analysing the role of alcohol in traffic. It is concluded that by systematical roadside investigation it would be possible to find out the "driving-abusers". The repressive police action could be transformed into a preventive social action--not only to punish but through education, information and treatment to prevent negative results.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Roadside Surveys--Proceedings of the Satellite Conference to the 8th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety 23-25 June 1980, Umea, Sweden held in association with the International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety and organised by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Umea University, Umea.
• Corporate Authors:

  Dokumentationscentralen foer Alkohol- Och

  Narkotikaforskning, CAN, P.O. Box 27302
  Stockholm,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Valverius, M R
  • Moberg, J
  • Linden, C
• Conference:
  • Roadside Surveys--Proceedings of the Satellite Conference to the 8th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety held in association with the International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety and
  • Location: Umea , Sweden
  • Date: 1980-6-23 to 1980-6-25
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 7-32

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol abuse; Alcohol breath tests; Alcohol use; Blood analysis; Crashes; Diseases and medical conditions; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Fatalities; History; Law enforcement; Measures of effectiveness; Roadside; Safety programs; Single vehicle crashes; Social factors; Surveys; Traffic safety education; Urine
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness; Roadside surveys
• Old TRIS Terms: Alcohol education programs; Blood tests
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; History; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00396578
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-037 581
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 1985 12:00AM