BAC Limit Research Articles

Effects of alcohol intoxication on driving performance, confidence in driving ability, and psychomotor function: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

RationaleAlcohol-induced driving impairment can occur with any departure from a zero-blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Because intoxication is characterised by impaired judgement, drivers under the influence of alcohol may overestimate their capacity to safely operate a vehicle.ObjectivesThis study examined the effects of alcohol on driving performance, four-choice reaction time (FCRT), and self-rated confidence in driving ability. It specifically focused on alcohol doses equal to commonly enforced legal BAC limits (i.e. 0.05% and 0.08%).MethodsA randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design was utilised. Seventeen participants were tested in three conditions: placebo and two alcohol conditions aiming for BACs of 0.05% and 0.08%. Participants underwent a baseline FCRT task and a 1-h simulated highway driving task before completing another FCRT task and rated their confidence in their driving ability.ResultsThe high and low alcohol dose conditions resulted in a mean BAC of 0.07%, and 0.04%, respectively (n = 17). The high BAC treatment significantly increased standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) by 4.06 ± 5.21 cm and standard deviation of speed (SDS) by 0.69 ± 0.17 km/h relative to placebo, while confidence in driving ability remained unchanged across treatments. FCRT performance was impaired by the high BAC treatment (all < 0.01), but there we no significant differences between placebo and low BAC conditions.ConclusionsThe findings of this study show that driving performance and associated psychomotor functioning become significantly impaired below legally permissible driving limits in some jurisdictions. We identified a dissociation between driving performance and subjective awareness of impairment. Despite a significantly diminished driving ability at 0.07% BAC, drivers were unaware of their impairment.

Drink driving engagement in women: An exploration of context, hazardous alcohol use, and behaviour.

BackgroundWhile drink driving continues to be significantly more common among male drivers, there is evidence from many countries that shows a growing trend of women engaging in this risky behaviour. The aims of the current study were threefold: (i) determine to what extent a sample of women drivers reported engaging in drink driving behaviour by expanding the construct into a range of definitions, (ii) determine if there were significant differences in self-reported engagement in drink driving behaviours in accordance with hazardous drinking behaviour, and (iii) identify which situational or personal factors would increase women drivers’ likelihood to engage in drink driving through presenting a range of scenarios.MethodData were collected using an on-line, purpose-designed survey and promoted to reach women aged 17 years and older, living in Queensland, Australia. In addition to questions relating to demographic characteristics, participants completed items relating to engagement in seven drink driving related behaviours in the previous 12-month period, hazardous drinking as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and likelihood of driving when unsure if over the legal limit for licence type across a range of scenarios manipulating different situational factors. A total of 644 valid responses were received in the two-week period the study was advertised.ResultsThe results demonstrate women’s self-reported engagement in drink driving behaviour ranged from 12.6% (driving when they believed they were over the legal limit) to over 50.0% (driving when unsure if over the legal limit the morning after drinking alcohol) and was significantly more likely among those who reported hazardous levels of alcohol use. Circumstances in which women reported they would drive when unsure if over the legal BAC limit were when they were a few blocks from home, if they subjectively felt they were not too intoxicated, or if they needed their car to get somewhere the next morning.ConclusionExamining drink driving behaviour by way of responses to nuanced definitions provided valuable insight into self-reported engagement in the behaviour and highlights the usefulness of multi-measure dependent variables in order to illuminate a more accurate acknowledgement into both the type (and extent) of drink driving behaviours.

Potential effects of lowering the BAC limit on injuries, fatalities, and costs

IntroductionPotential health and cost impacts of lowering the BAC limit for U.S. drivers below .08% were explored through analyses of reductions in crash incidence, injury severity, and costs based on five scenarios with varying assumptions about how the change to a .05% BAC limit might affect alcohol-impaired driving. MethodsDistribution of crashes by injury level and highest driver or non-occupant BAC levels for 2010, together with unit crash costs provided a base for comparison. Scenario 1 assumed all alcohol-impaired driving ceased; scenario 2 assumed all drivers obeyed the law, and scenario 3 assumed decreases in driver BAC levels would be limited to those who had been driving near the legal limit before the change. Scenario 4 was based on changes in driver BAC levels associated with a 08% to .05% BAC limit change in Australia, and scenario 5 was based on changes in alcohol-related crashes associated with the change to the .08% BAC limit in the United States. The number of casualties prevented in each scenario was estimated using relative risks of crash involvement, and changes in societal costs were estimated using the unit costs. ResultsReductions ranging from 71% to 99% in fatalities, injuries, and costs related to alcohol-impaired driving were estimated in scenarios 1 and 2. Scenarios 3–5 produced smaller reductions ranging from 4% to 16% for alcohol-impaired fatalities, injuries, and costs. ConclusionThe wide difference between the outcomes of the two sets of scenarios reflects the sensitivity of BAC policy benefits to driver compliance behavior. Practical applicationThe quantification of the reduction in the number and costs of traffic crash casualties in the set of behavioral scenarios explored in this research can inform policymakers about the extent and limits of benefits achievable by lowering the BAC limits as they consider strategies to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

An interrupted time series analysis of the differential impact of New Jersey’s BAC legislation on driver and passenger crash fatalities

Most research, drawing on deterrence and rational choice models of social action, examines the effects of reductions of blood alcohol concentration [BAC] limits to secure drunk driving convictions on the total volume of crash fatalities. This paper extends this work by investigating the impact of New Jersey’s BAC legislation on total and disaggregated crash fatalities. The results from the interrupted times series analyses show that reducing the BAC limit to 0.8 has no effect on total or driver fatalities, but has a negative and lasting effect on passenger fatalities. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

Determinants of drink-driving and association between drink-driving and road traffic fatalities in Ghana

Damsere-Derry, J., Afukaar, F., Palk, G., &amp; King, M. (2014). Determinants of drink-driving and association between drink-driving and road traffic fatalities in Ghana. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(2), 135-141. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i2.135Aims: The objective is to establish determinants of drink-driving and its association with traffic crashes in Ghana.Methods: A multivariable logistic regression was used to establish significant determinants of drink-driving, and a bivariate logistic regression to establish the association between drink-driving and road traffic crashes in Ghana.Results: In total, 2,736 motorists were randomly stopped for breath testing, of whom 8.7% tested positive for alcohol. Among the total participants, 5.5% exceeded the legal BAC limit of 0.08%. Formal education is associated with a reduced likelihood of drink-driving compared with drivers without formal education. The propensity to drink-drive is 1.8 times higher among illiterate drivers than it is among drivers with basic education. Young adult drivers also recorded elevated likelihoods for driving under alcohol impairment, compared with adult drivers. The odds of drink-driving among truck drivers is OR = 1.81 (95% CI = 1.16 to 2.82) and two-wheeler riders is OR = 1.41 (95% CI = 0.47 to 4.28) compared with car drivers. Contrary to general perception, commercial car drivers have a significant reduced likelihood of 41%, OR = 0.59 (95% CI = 0.38 to 0.92) compared with private car drivers. Bivariate analysis conducted showed a significant association between the proportion of drivers exceeding the legal BAC limit and road traffic fatalities (p &lt; 0.001). The model predicts that a 1% increase in the proportion of drivers exceeding the legal BAC will be associated with a 4% increase in road traffic fatalities (95% CI = 3% to 5%) and vice versa.Conclusions: A positive and significant association between roadside alcohol prevalence and road traffic fatality has been established. Scaling up roadside breath tests, determining standard drink (e.g., any drink which contains about 10 grams of absolute alcohol) and disseminating this information to the populace, and formulating policies targeting youth (such as increasing minimum legal drinking age and reducing the legal BAC limit for youth and novice drivers) might reduce drink-driving related crashes in Ghana.

Why is road safety in the U.S. not on par with Sweden, the U.K., and the Netherlands? Lessons to be learned

This study compared road safety and related factors in the U.S. with those in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands (which are among the best-performing countries), in order to identify actions most likely to produce casualty reductions in the U.S. The reviewed topics were basic country statistics, road fatalities and various fatality rates, and selected road-safety issues. The main differences concerned structural and cultural factors (such as vehicle distance driven), and procedural factors (such as alcohol-impaired driving, exceeding speed limits, and use of seat belts). The main recommendations for improving road safety in the U.S. are as follows: (1) lower states’ BAC limits, and encourage the use of alcohol ignition interlocks (2) reexamine the current speed-limit policies and improve speed enforcement, (3) implement primary seat-belt-wearing laws in each state that would cover both front and rear occupants, and reward vehicle manufacturers for installation of advanced seat-belt reminders, and (4) reconsider road-safety target setting so that the focus is on reducing fatalities and not on reducing fatality rate per distance driven, and (5) consider new strategies to reduce vehicle distance driven.

Indication for the Assessment of Driver Fitness after Problematic Alcohol Consumption

Objectives: The present review of literature examines the relationship of alcohol consumption and fitness to drive. The legal limit (1,6 ‰) for establishing fitness to drive by means of a medical-psychological assessment (MPA) in Germany is analyzed on the background of published empirical research to present recommendations for the improvement of the current legal situation and administrative practice. Methods: 103 published articles have been analysed (inclusion criteria: completeness, comprehensibility, and experimental manipulation of the blood alcohol concentration [BAC]). The number of alcohol-induced impairments is to be shown in a quantitative analysis. The qualitative analyses of the studies will reveal the impaired areas of psychological and medical functioning. Results: It appears that 97 % of the documented impairments occur at a maximum BAC of 1,1 ‰. Numerous skills are impaired by low doses of alcohol (e. g. attention, memory, perception). Conclusion: Alcohol-induced impairments arise at a BAC far below 1.6 ‰, which marks the legal limit for a medical-psychological assessment (MPA) after drunk driving in Germany. The BAC limit in the current ordinance for assigning a medical-psychological fitness assessment cannot be confirmed on the basis of research findings. A reduction of this BAC limit to 1,1 ‰ is proposed.

Role of Alcohol in Hospitalized Road Trauma in Viet Nam

Objective: To assess the blood alcohol concentration (BAC; dependent variable) of patients with road traffic injuries (RTIs) presenting at 3 provincial and central hospitals in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam by age, sex, and road user type (independent variables). This survey formed part of the Viet Nam Road Traffic Injury Prevention Project, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Introduction: RTIs are a leading cause of death and disability in Viet Nam, with 14,690 deaths and 143,940 injuries reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2010. Research estimates suggest that motorcycle riders and passengers account for 60 percent of fatalities. Alcohol has long been suspected of being a leading cause of road traffic collisions and injuries. However, until now data on this relationship have been limited. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study measuring BAC in all consenting patients with RTIs presenting at 3 provincial or central hospitals between July 2009 and September 2010. All results were anonymous and summary information on key variables was sent to MOH and the World Health Organization (WHO) on a monthly basis. Results: Of the 36,418 patients with RTIs presenting to these 3 hospitals between July 2009 and September 2010, BAC analysis was completed on 14,990 patients (41.2%), representing all patients with RTIs 15 years of age and above who consented to anonymous testing. BAC results ranged from 0 to 0.589 g/dL blood, with a mean of 0.0441 g/dL being the average concentration among all tested patients. Of all patients tested, 56.8 percent had no detectable alcohol in their system. Motorcycle riders were most commonly represented in the tested sample (70.7%), with 27.8 percent having a BAC above the legal limit (0.05 g/dL). Car or other vehicle drivers represented 2.7 percent of the sample, with 63.4 percent tested having a BAC above 0 g/dL, the legal limit for these road users. Conclusions: The results of this preliminary study indicate that 29.1 percent of all car drivers and motorcycle riders presenting at hospitals with RTIs exceeded the legal BAC limit for operating a motor vehicle. Though further study is required, this is suggestive that strengthening the enforcement of drink-driving laws is an urgent national road safety priority.

Investigating the existence of blood alcohol content policy for commercial drivers in Nigeria

BackgroundCredible studies have established that alcohol consumption by commercial drivers is a major contributory factor to road crashes and that alcohol abuse by drivers accounts for about 13% of preventable...

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO: DRINKING AND DRIVING STRATEGY

BackgroundMexico occupies the 7th place worldwide and the 2nd in Latin America on deaths for road traffic accidents. Among the population aged 15–29, traffic accidents represent the first cause of...

Intervenciones preventivas en contextos recreativos nocturnos: revisión

Participating in nightlife it is a meaningful cultural activity for young people. Councils welcome a flourishing late-night entertainment industry. But there also problems related to the people involved (alcohol and drug abuse, violence, risky sex...) and to the recreational activity itself (noise, street drinking, vandalism...). Prevention intervention possibilities are numerous, and most have been implemented, however assessment of their outcomes is less common. We have identified 11 types of prevention according to their main objective (venues centred, community, education, law enforcement, industry collaboration...) and we have reviewed the existing evidence in relation to each form of intervention. Popular types of interventions as providing information or pill testing are not evidence based. Other interventions as Responsible beverage services or designated driver programmes, backed by the industry, are not exactly the most effective, especially if they are not enforced. Others like community approaches can be effective but it can be a problem how to achieve their continuity. From the present review, what emerges as the best strategy is the combination of training, cooperation and enforcement. 'Classical' measures (taxation, reduced BAC limits, minimum legal purchasing age...) are also evidence-based and effective. Could be interesting to investigate interventions that address the cultural aspects of nightlife. But this sort of interventions do not depend on the will or the skills of professionals, and are more related to societal changes. The highly frequent use of popular but ineffective interventions contributes more to the problem than to its solution, and only facilitates giving preventive efforts a bad reputation.

Effects of Legal BAC Limits on Fatal Crash Involvement: Analyses of 28 States from 1976 through 2002

Problem Hundreds of laws have been implemented in the United States over the past few decades designed to reduce alcohol-impaired driving and the crashes that often result. One approach has been to lower the legally allowable alcohol concentration for drivers. We examined the effects of changes in legal BAC limit in 28 U.S. states from January, 1976 to December, 2002. Method An interrupted time-series quasi-experimental design was used, incorporating non-alcohol-related crashes as comparisons. Four outcome measures of alcohol-related crash involvement were examined: single-vehicle nighttime, BAC = 0.01–0.07, BAC = 0.08–0.14, and BAC ≥ 0.15. Missing BAC test result data were handled by using multiple imputations. Analyses involved estimation of state-specific ARIMA models, controlling for other factors affecting overall crash rates and other major DUI policy changes. Inverse variance weighting methods were used to pool results across states for the most precise underlying estimate of effect of legal BAC limits. Results Considerable state by state variability in estimated effects was observed, but results from the pooled analyses were clear and consistent. Changes in legal BAC limits significantly affected alcohol-related fatal crash involvement for both the SVN and BAC test result measures, and the laws affected drivers at all drinking levels. Summary An estimated 360 deaths are prevented each year in the United States as a result of the move from a 0.10 to 0.08 legal limit in recent years, and an additional 538 lives could be saved each year if the United States reduced the limit to 0.05, consistent with limits in most countries worldwide. Impact on Industry Given the significant effects of lower legal BAC limits on fatal crash involvement, businesses should support implementation of laws that further reduce the legal BAC limit for all drivers. Furthermore, all companies should set higher standards for employees, such as a zero allowable BAC limit for driving during work time.

Changes in the Law vs. Changes in the Penalties: An Application to Blood Alcohol Content Limits

This paper investigates the impact of lowered BAC limits on alcohol related traffic fatalities. Unlike previous studies that find significant reductions in traffic fatalities after legal limits are reduced, this paper shows that once controlling explicitly for enforcement efforts and the severity of penalties the impact of lowered BAC limits is insignificant. This study is important because national legislation was passed in 2000 requiring all states to have a legal limit of 0.08 BAC by 2004. At the time, proponents of the legislation claimed an estimated 600 lives would be saved nation-wide because of the new legal limits. This study shows that this estimate was most likely overstated.

Evaluation of the effects of North Carolina's 0.08% BAC law

This study was conducted to determine whether the lowered BAC limit for drivers in North Carolina resulted in fewer alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. We used time-series analysis to examine several indicators of alcohol involvement in both injury and fatal crashes between 1991 and 1996. Data from NC crash files as well as the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) are used. We also examined several indicators used in previous research on lower BAC limits using a before–after design to compare North Carolina with 37 states that did not change their BAC limit for 24 months before and after the BAC limit was lowered. When controlling for the pre-existing downward trend in drinking driver crashes, along with other pertinent factors such as amount of travel and number of weekends per month, there was no evidence of either a significant shift or a change in the downward trend of alcohol-related crashes associated with the lowered BAC limit. In conclusion, although the lower BAC limit was actively enforced and a substantial proportion of drinkers were aware of the new BAC limit, the drinking-driving population in North Carolina, at the time the lower limit took effect in October 1993, was simply unresponsive to this change.

Police documentation of drunk-driving arrests: Jury verdicts and guilty pleas as a function of quantity and quality of evidence

This archival study examined the court records and relevant police reports for 617 drunk-driving cases drawn from the greater metropolitan areas of Boston, Denver, and Los Angeles. Cases were selected to include roughly equal proportions of guilty pleas, guilty verdicts, and not-guilty verdicts. Objective coding of the arrest reports revealed a fairly cohesive pattern of evidence relating blood-alcohol readings to driving behavior before the stop, general behavior after the stop, and performance on the field sobriety tests. There were several differences in detection and arrest procedures among the three metropolitan areas, and there was scattered evidence that the configuration of BAC limits and per se laws of the states influenced the weighting of blood-alcohol evidence in determining case outcomes. In general, case dispositions reflected a rational pattern of decisionmaking, in which drunk-driving convictions were systematically influenced by the quantity and quality of evidence for guilt.