ON DWI LAWS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Much of the progress that has been made in impaired driving in the last decade or more has been facilitated by lessons learned from other countries. It is therefore both timely and appropriate for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to sponsor a systematic effort to gather information about impaired driving laws from countries around the world. The primary purpose of this project was to provide comparisons with the United States, and therefore possible guidance in the development and implementation of impaired driving policies in this country. Information on Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) laws was collected from the following countries: members of the European Union, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom; Norway; Switzerland; Canada; Mexico; Australia; New Zealand; and Japan. The specific DWI laws included were the illegal blood alcohol content (BAC) levels for various classes of drivers, the minimum purchase age for alcohol, age of driving licensure, standard sanctions for first offenses and multiple offenses, the imposition of more severe sanctions for drivers with higher BACs, graduated licensing systems, and systems for the regranting of licenses. Additionally, social attitudes about drinking and driving were obtained, and the potential impact of international free trade agreements on laws and policies related to traffic safety was discussed.

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• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1630
• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Stewart, K
• Publication Date: 2000-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 167 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Attitudes; Blood alcohol levels; Driver licensing; Drunk driving; Graduated licensing; International trade; Laws; Legal drinking age; Repeat offenders; Sanctions; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver license reinstatement; First offense; Free trade agreements
• Geographic Terms: Australia; Austria; Belgium; Canada; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Ireland; Italy; Japan; Luxembourg; Mexico; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Portugal; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I10: Economics and Administration; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00795414
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-809 037,, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: DTNH22-98-P-05308
• Files: HSL, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 28 2000 12:00AM