FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH POLICE EVALUATION OF DRINKING IN FATAL HIGHWAY CRASHES

POLICE ESTIMATES OF DRINKING BY FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS AS RECORDED ON POLICE REPORTS OF INVESTIGATIONS OF CRASHES WERE COMPARED WITH ACTUAL BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS OF THE FATALITIES DETERMINED BY THE CORONER'S OFFICE. OVER 20% OF THE TIME ALCOHOL WAS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL IN THE POLICE REPORT. WHEN ALCOHOL WAS MENTIONED, ITS PRESENCE WAS UNDER-ESTIMATED, ESPECIALLY AT CONCENTRATIONS UNDER 200 MG%. FURTHERMORE, ALCOHOL WAS LEAST LIKELY TO BE REPORTED AMONG PERSONS AGE 60 OR OLDER, PEDESTRIANS, NON-RESPONSIBLE FATALITIES, AND DRIVERS OF NEW CARS. IT WAS MOST OFTEN REPORTED AMONG YOUNGER PERSONS, DRIVERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO-VEHICLE CRASHES, AND DRIVERS OF OLD CARS. /HSL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1800052
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 3, No 1, PP 35-41, 11 REF
• Authors:
  • Waller, J A
• Publication Date: 1971-3

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 35-41
• Serial:
  • Journal of Safety Research
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-4375
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224375

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Blood alcohol levels; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Estimates; Fatalities; Police; Reports
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221481
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Literature
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 13 1971 12:00AM