PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FOLLOW-UP OF DRINKING AND NON-DRINKING DRIVERS IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES
Eight hundred fifty-four consecutive motor vehicle crash (MVC) victims admitted from August 1, 1986, through August 31, 1989, were prospectively assessed including measurement of blood alcohol concentration (BAC). One hundred six in-hospital interviews were conducted on competent consenting drivers at least 18 years of age; 22.9 percent (n=22) of those who were BAC tested (n=96) were positive for alcohol on admission. The mean age was 33.6 years; 76.7 percent were referred from other medical facilities, and 61.5 percent were admitted within 4 hours of the crash. One hundred thirty-nine drivers (39.4 percent) tested positive for alcohol on admission with a mean admission BAC of 30.0 mmol/L (141.3 mg/dL) and a mean estimated level of 37.6 mmol/L (176.8 mg/dL) at the time of the crash. The two groups in whom BAC results were available differed significantly on driver education with the BAC-positive group having a lower proportion of driver education graduates compared with the BAC-negative group (p<0.01). It is evident from this study that the BAC-positive drivers have characteristics indicative of high risk. The high incidence of previous license suspensions and self-reported drinking and driving behavior is indicative of antecedent high-risk behavior; BAC-positive drivers were not involved in a "one-time event." It is of obvious concern, however, that drinking and driving behavior continues after discharge and that there is a high rate of motor vehicle crashes in the follow-up period after original crash and injury.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00225282
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Corporate Authors:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
428 East Preston Street
Baltimore, MD United States 21202 -
Authors:
- MCLELLAN, B A
- Vingilis, Evelyn
- LARKIN, E
- Stoduto, G
- Macartney-Filgate, M
- Sharkey, P W
- Publication Date: 1993-8
Language
- English
Media Info
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: p. 245-250
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Serial:
- Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care
- Volume: 35
- Issue Number: 2
- Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- ISSN: 0022-5282
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Blood alcohol levels; Crash causes; Driver licenses; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Evidence; High risk drivers; Psychological aspects; Suspensions; Traffic crashes
- Uncontrolled Terms: Driver license suspension; Motor vehicle accidents
- Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00641829
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Jan 18 1994 12:00AM