DETECTION OF ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVERS USING A PASSIVE ALCOHOL SENSOR

The effectiveness of a passive alcohol sensor was tested in a sobriety checkpoint situation. Use of the sensor increased the detection of drivers with BACs greater than or equal to 0.10 from 46 to 68 percent and the detection of drivers with BACs between 0.05 and 0.10 from 24 percent to 45 percent. At the same time, the rate at which drivers with low BACs were detained was reduced by half with the use of the sensor. These results indicate that a passive alcohol sensor can substantially increase both the effectiveness and the efficiency of the enforcement of laws aimed at controlling alcohol-impaired driving.

• Corporate Authors:

  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

  1005 North Glebe Road
  Arlington, VA  United States  22201
• Authors:
  • Jones, I S
  • LUND, A K
• Publication Date: 1985-5

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 23 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol tests; Blood alcohol levels; Detection and identification; Detectors; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Measures of effectiveness; Roadblocks; Traffic law enforcement
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
• Old TRIS Terms: Passive sensors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451755
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-039 047
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 31 1985 12:00AM