Road Traffic Accidents Among Alcohol-Dependent Patients: The Effect of Treatment

In this study, the researchers sought to analyze the effect on traffic accidents of treatment of patients with alcohol-related problems. In doing so, the prevalence of traffic problems in patients with a diagnosed dependence on alcohol was assessed for three periods: during their lifetime, in the year preceding the start of treatment, and over the year of treatment. A prospective study was conducted on 176 patients diagnosed as alcohol dependent in three alcoholic treatment centers in Castilla y Leon, Spain. Results of this study showed that 36.9% of the alcohol-dependent patients exhibited some kind of traffic problem during their life and 8.5% in the year prior to starting treatment. The most frequent problem was positive breath tests. The next frequent problem was accidents involving vehicle damage (22.1%). Sixty-nine of the 176 patients continued receiving treatment for alcohol abuse after one year. The prevalence of traffic problems among those patients who followed treatment for 1 year (4.3%) was lower than in the year before treatment (15.9%). The study showed that treatment for alcohol abuse is also effective in reducing traffic problems, and thus, it may be advisable to allow alcohol-dependent drivers to resume driving upon successful completion of a treatment program.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V5S-4HBSH2W-1/2/d7aab220476991174506d3a423271c8a
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Authors:
  • Gomez-Talegon, M Trinidad
  • Alvarez, F Javier
• Publication Date: 2006-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 201-207
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcoholism; Crashes; Medical treatment; Random breath tests; Traffic crashes; Traffic violations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Prevalence; Prospective analysis; Vehicle damage
• Geographic Terms: Castilla y Leon (Spain)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01013424
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 22 2005 10:30AM