Responsibility for non-fatal collision with blood alcohol concentration less than 0.05 per cent

In Victoria, motorists taken to hospital after a motor vehicle collision are required to provide a sample of blood for analysis. In a study of 1809 drivers injured in collision, 487 drivers (27 per cent of the total) tested positive for alcohol. This study aimed to test the hypotheses that low blood alcohol concentrations are associated with significant increase in responsibility for collision. Collision data and toxicology was available from 1809 collisions were the driver was taken to hospital. Collision data was subject to responsibility analysis. 47 drivers had a blood alcohol concentration less than 0.05 per cent. 36 were responsible for the collision, 8 contributed and 3 were not responsible for the collision. These drivers with low blood alcohol concentration were 7.7 times more likely to have been responsible for the collision than drivers who had not been drinking. 82 per cent of these collisions involved another vehicle. These results support zero tolerance for alcohol. There is no rational reason to consider blood alcohol concentrations below 0.05 per cent as 'safe'.

• Record URL:
  http://www.icadtsinternational.com/files/documents/2013_098.pdf
• 
• Authors:
  • Ogden, E
  • Morris, C
  • Frederiksen, T
  • Boorman, M
  • Stough, C
  • King, R
• Conference:
  • International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (T2013), 20th, 2013, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• Publication Date: 2013-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 586-91
• Monograph Title: 20th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety Conference Proceedings, 25-28 August 2013, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blood alcohol levels; Crash analysis; Crashes; Driver performance; Drivers; Drunk driving; Injuries; Intoxication
• Uncontrolled Terms: Safe systems (road users)
• Geographic Terms: Australia; Victoria
• ATRI Terms: Blood alcohol content; Crash analysis; Drink driving; Driver performance; Injury
• ITRD Terms: 1553: Blood alcohol content
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01500783
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 5 2013 8:48AM