Intoxicated Drivers Research Articles

Assessing the Deterrent Effects of Ignition Interlock Devices

IntroductionIgnition interlock devices installed after conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) have been shown to reduce subsequent DUI arrests (specific deterrence). However, there is little evidence on how interlock-device penalties might affect general deterrence, that is, deterring people from driving after consuming alcohol prior to a DUI conviction. MethodsA discrete choice experiment was conducted and data were analyzed in 2023 with 583 U.S.-based adults who consume alcohol at least once in the past week to assess the deterrent effects of five different penalties (fine, jail time, interlock device, license suspension, alcohol treatment) for alcohol-impaired driving under randomized sequential scenarios of high (20% chance of being caught) and low (1%) police enforcement. Participants resided in 46 states. ResultsDeterrent effects of an interlock penalty, operationalized as having to install an interlock device for one year, are large and on par with a twentyfold increase in police enforcement activity (from 1% chance of being caught to 20%), or a $2,000 increase in the DUI fine under the status quo enforcement regime. On average, a 1-year interlock penalty had the same deterrent effect as a 10-day increase in jail time. ConclusionsWider use of interlock devices as a DUI penalty could have large deterrent effects, independent of their ability to physically prevent the motor vehicle of an intoxicated driver from starting. The deterrent effect documented here adds to evidence on interlock devices’ overall effectiveness as well as their potential to shift DUI penalties away from criminalization (jail time) and towards immobilization and rehabilitation.

Fine-Grained Intoxicated Gait Classification Using a Bilinear CNN.

Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol causes impaired mobility and judgment and driving accidents, resulting in more than 800 injuries and fatalities each day. Passive methods to detect intoxicated drivers beyond the safe driving limit can facilitate Just-In-Time alerts and reduce Driving Under the Influence (DUI) incidents. Popularly-owned smartphones are not only equipped with motion sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) that can be employed for passively collecting gait (walk) data but also have the processing power to run computationally expensive machine learning models. In this paper, we advance the state-of-the-art by proposing a novel method that utilizes a Bi-linear Convolution Neural Network (BiCNN) for analyzing smartphone accelerometer and gyroscope data to determine whether a smartphone user is over the legal driving limit (0.08) from their gait. After segmenting the gait data into steps, we converted the smartphone motion sensor data to a Gramian Angular Field (GAF) image and then leveraged the BiCNN architecture for intoxication classification. Distinguishing GAF-encoded images of the gait of intoxicated vs. sober users is challenging as the differences between the classes (intoxicated vs. sober) are subtle, also known as a fine-grained image classification problem. The BiCNN neural network has previously produced state-of-the-art results on fine-grained image classification of natural images. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to innovatively utilize the BiCNN to classify GAF encoded images of smartphone gait data in order to detect intoxication. Prior work had explored using the BiCNN to classify natural images or explored other gait-related tasks but not intoxication Our complete intoxication classification pipeline consists of several important pre-processing steps carefully adapted to the BAC classification task, including step detection and segmentation, data normalization to account for inter-subject variability, data fusion, GAF image generation from time-series data, and a BiCNN classification model. In rigorous evaluation, our BiCNN model achieves an accuracy of 83.5%, outperforming the previous state-of-the-art and demonstrating the feasibility of our approach.

The Usage of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms in Preventing Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is a very widespread problem, causing many casualties and millions of dollars in insurance and damages per year. In 2020, despite the COVID19 pandemic greatly reducing road traffic, about 32 people died per day in the US alone from DUI (Driving under Influence)(nhtsa.gov). Existing solutions such as police testing drivers suspected to be under influence is simply impractical considering the number of possible intoxicated drivers. With more and more people gaining access to a vehicle, it is crucial that more effective strategies be developed to detect and combat drunk driving. The purpose of this study is to analyze whether Artificial Intelligence can be used to more effectively detect and prevent drunk driving and if a Machine Learning models like Logistic Regression and Decision Tree can be more accurate than a human police officer. To address this question, a dataset named drunkImagesWebp was used. Two machine learning algorithms, Logistic regression and decision tree were trained on this dataset with facial image data of intoxicated people to predict the sobriety of humans based on facial cues. After testing this model, it is clear that both Logistic regression and decision tree models can accurately test a driver for signs of intoxication with well over 90% accuracy compared to human-administered tests which only hit up to around 75% accuracy. By comparison, both Logistic regression and Decision tree algorithms detected intoxication with 96% accuracy. This shows the potential AI can have in creating an automated solution to detecting and ultimately preventing drunk driving.

Risk-taking behaviors in adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM): An association between homophobic victimization and alcohol consumption.

The aim of this study was to determine whether homophobic victimization was associated with alcohol consumption and riding with an intoxicated driver or driving a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs among adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM). Cross-sectional analysis used baseline data from a national HIV prevention trial (NCT03167606) for adolescent MSM aged 13-18 years (N = 747). Multivariable logistic regression models assessed associations between homophobic victimization (independent variable) and alcohol-related outcomes (dependent variables), controlling for age, parents' education level, sexual orientation, health literacy, race, and ethnicity. Most participants (87%) reported at least one form of homophobic victimization in their lifetime, with verbal insults being the most frequently reported (82%). In the bivariate analysis, alcohol consumption and riding with an intoxicated driver or driving a car while under the influence were associated with many forms of victimization. Exposure to at least one form of victimization was associated with increased odds of alcohol consumption (OR: 2.31; 95% CI: 1.38-3.87) and riding with an intoxicated driver or driving a car while under the influence (OR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.26-4.00), after controlling for covariates. Increased risk of alcohol consumption and risky alcohol-related behaviors were found among adolescent MSM who experienced homophobic victimization. Interventions should address homophobic victimization and its impact on adolescent MSM, as well as disentangling motivations for underage drinking, riding with an intoxicated driver or driving a car while under the influence.

Automatic Alcohol Detection System

Abstract: In pretty much every industry and field, innovation keeps on disturbing old frameworks and opening up new pathways. Not more so than in the field of law enforcement, where analysts, designers, and tech virtuosos are chipping away at further developed apparatuses not exclusively to uphold DUI, yet additionally to forestall it. Maybe the most encouraging of these drives is the Alcohol Safety Detection System, fostering an innovation that will consequently keep an intoxicated driver from driving an engine vehicle, an attempt will be made to fabricate a locking mechanism for vehicles so it would not begin without an Alcohol detection system. This paper portrays a driver alcohol concentration detection framework dependent on breath testing, created utilizing a microcontroller Compatible Compiler, that permits the program of microcontroller boards. The framework can gauge the liquor from the breath test and control the activity of the vehicle start framework to forestall smashed driving. Additionally, the utilization of virtual instrumentation gives high adaptability, in contrast to traditional methods. Drunken driving has become a significant problem in present-day culture. It is a typical reason for vehicle crashes including human mistakes. This venture focused on developing a system to prevent, in anticipation of making everyday traffic safe. Keywords: Alcohol safety detection system, MQ3 sensor, Arduino UNO.

The effect of the Safer at Home order on the frequency of DUI breath alcohol tests in Los Angeles County

With Los Angeles County having a population size of just over 10 million and an additional 471,000 people who commute into Los Angeles County for employment, many drivers are at risk of being injured or killed in an alcohol-impaired driving collision. On March 19, 2020, the County of Los Angeles issued the Safer at Home order as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This curtailed driving and decreased the number of breath alcohol tests that were conducted in Los Angeles County. The number of breath tests conducted in January-February of 2019 and 2020 and March-April of 2019 and 2020 were evaluated using Fisher's exact test and analysis of variance. There was a statistically significant decrease in the overall number of breath tests conducted in Los Angeles County in March-April of 2020. There was also a significant decrease in the number of collisions where DUI was a factor. Accounting for changes in traffic volumes, the number of breath tests per vehicle miles driven also decreased significantly. Since the Safer at Home order closed all non-essential services such as bars and restaurants, there is indirect data on the relative contribution of liquor-serving establishments, and to some extent large social gatherings, to the incidence of drunk driving. Taking into account traffic volume, it was determined that the odds of encountering an intoxicated driver decreased by approximately 23% during the Safer at Home period. This information could help policy-makers determine the likely effectiveness of various countermeasures to prevent drunk driving.

Risky Driving Behaviors of Drivers Who Use Alcohol and Cannabis

Many drivers in the United States use alcohol or cannabis, including some who co-use both substances. Using data from a nationally representative survey, self-reported engagement in various risky driving behaviors is examined among drivers who co-use alcohol and cannabis, those who use alcohol but not cannabis, those who use cannabis but not alcohol, and those who use neither. Results were adjusted for age, gender, education, and race. Co-users, compared with those who use only alcohol, were more likely to engage in nearly all of the risky behaviors measured in the survey, including driving under the influence of alcohol. Compared with those who neither drink nor use cannabis, those who use only cannabis were more likely to drive under the influence of prescription drugs, engage in aggressive driving, and ride with an intoxicated driver. Results of this and future related research will assist with understanding the differences in driving behavior among users of alcohol, cannabis, or both, so more effective interventions can be developed to improve traffic safety.

The effectiveness of alternative transportation programs in reducing impaired driving: A literature review and synthesis

Introduction: Studies have shown that approximately half of arrested intoxicated drivers had their last alcoholic drink at a licensed bar or restaurant. Current efforts to prevent intoxicated patrons from leaving licensed establishments and driving home have been only partially successful. Since a high proportion of drinkers drive to their drinking destination, promoting the use of alternative transportation (AT) – including safe ride shuttles, free or subsidized taxi and ridesharing services, voluntary or paid designated driver programs, and more accessible public transportation – is an important strategy for preventing impaired driving. The primary goal of this study was to review and synthesize the findings of research studies designed to test the effectiveness of AT programs in reducing alcohol-impaired driving. A secondary goal was to report if using AT has led to any unintended consequences, in particular greater alcohol consumption. Method: We identified relevant academic articles, new articles, government reports, and other documents (English only) through the University of Chicago library, Google Scholar, and Google Search. We also included published articles recommended by peers. Key search terms included: alternative transportation; safe rides; designated driver; alcohol-impaired driving; alcohol consumption, cost effectiveness; and reduce drunk driving. Initially, we identified 168 potentially relevant sources, of which only 57 were academic articles. After a thorough review, we narrowed down the number of relevant articles to 125 including some background articles and government reports. Results: Some AT programs produced reductions in one or more of the following outcomes: (1) impaired driving; (2) impaired driving crashes; (3) driving under the influence (DUI) arrests; and (4) traffic crashes in general, but others were not shown to be effective. A few programs resulted in greater self-reported alcohol use, but there were no significant findings indicating that drinking when using AT led to an increase in alcohol-related harms such as public intoxication, assaults, or other alcohol-related crime. Of the studies that conducted a cost-benefit analysis, most showed that AT programs yielded a positive benefit, but these studies did not include a sufficient number of variables to be considered true cost-benefit analyses. Conclusions: There is mixed evidence regarding the effectiveness of AT programs. Evaluations with more rigorous quasi-experimental and experimental designs are needed to identify which types of AT programs work best for different types of communities and target groups. Practical Applications: The literature review and synthesis revealed that the most successful AT programs typically have some of these attributes: (1) social acceptance; (2) high level of public awareness; (3) low cost; (4) year-round availability; (5) provide rides to and from drinking venues; (6) several sponsors that provide funding); (7) user convenience; and (8) perceived safety.

Assessing Psychological Fitness to Drive for Intoxicated Drivers: Relationships of Cognitive Abilities, Fluid Intelligence, and Personality Traits.

Our study explores the relationships between traffic-psychological driving-related personality traits, fluid intelligence, and cognitive abilities for drivers whose driver license has been revoked due to intoxicated driving (alcohol and/or drugs). We were able to show that high significant impacts on cognitive functions derive from the participants’ age and fluid intelligence. In addition, driving-related personality traits like emotional instability, sense of responsibility and self-control contributed significantly to some of the cognitive abilities that are important for the fitness to drive. Additionally, mediating effects of fluid intelligence in the model are discussed. Traffic psychologists can use this knowledge in their assessment of drivers, mainly regarding the possible compensation of cognitive deficits regarding the fitness to drive.

Association between cannabis and the eyelids: A comprehensive review.

Cannabis is the most consumed illicit drug worldwide. As more countries consider bills that would legalize adult use of cannabis, health care providers, including eye care professionals (ophthalmologists, optometrists), will need to recognize ocular effects of cannabis consumption in patients. There are only 20 studies on the eyelid effects of cannabis usage as a medical treatment or a recreational drug. These include ptosis induction, an "eyelid tremor" appearance and blepharospasm attenuation. Six articles describe how adequately dosed cannabis regimens could be promising medical treatments for blepharospasm induced by psychogenic factors. Fourteen articles report eyelid tremors in intoxicated drivers and ptosis as a secondary effect in cannabinoid animal experimental models. The exact mechanism of cannabinoids connecting cannabis to the eyelids is unclear. Further studies should be conducted to better understand the cannabinoid system in relation to the eyelid and eventually develop new, effective and safe therapeutic targets derived from cannabis.

Noninvasive Concept for Optical Ethanol Sensing on the Skin Surface with Camera-Based Quantification.

Law enforcement and the general public do not yet have adequate means of assessing and preventing drunk driving. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is unable to be determined on-site, as it typically requires the use of complex chromatographic methods. Breathalyzers have been well established in law enforcement for correlating breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) to BAC estimations, as they involve portable equipment with rapid analysis times. Although these BrAC measurements allow police officers to determine probable cause and to arrest an intoxicated driver at the scene, the results are preliminary and are not often considered as evidence in court. A new, noninvasive method was developed to assess an individual's level of intoxication based on the presence of ethanol in sweat on the skin surface. This intuitive system uses two enzymes, alcohol oxidase and horseradish peroxidase, to correlate ethanol sweat concentrations to the production of a color that is visible to the naked eye. The results of the controlled drinking study demonstrate the ability of both the spectrophotometric and the visualization system to quantify the amount of ethanol within authentic sweat samples collected from individuals who had consumed an alcoholic beverage. The pictorial analysis allows for the system to be analyzed without the use of a UV-vis spectrophotometer. With this method, a smartphone application would be capable of documenting and evaluating the intoxication levels of an individual based on sweat ethanol levels. The developed alcohol sensing system has the potential to impact both the general public and law enforcement, as well as the fields of forensic and biomedical science.

Exploring the Effect of Driving Factors on Traffic Crash Risk among Intoxicated Drivers: A case Study in Wujiang.

Intoxicated driving is a threat to both drivers and other road users. Exploring the association between intoxicated driving factors and traffic crashes is essential for taking effective countermeasures. Most previous works have studied the relation between intoxicated driving and traffic crash based on some large-sized cities. The current study aims to evaluate the effect of driving factors on traffic crashes among intoxicated drivers in a small-sized city in China. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis are performed to guide the study, and the data (N = 1010) for the period 2016–2017 in Wujiang (i.e., a small-sized city in China) are employed as the target samples. The results demonstrate age, years of driving experience, road position, week, hour and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are associated with traffic crashes in Wujiang. Specifically, the age of “18–25”, the years of driving experience of “≤2”, the “road intersection”, the “weekend”, the period of “0:00–6:59” and the BAC of “above 150 mg/100 mL” are more likely to cause traffic crashes among intoxicated drivers. The findings can be referred to make some targeted policies or measures to relieve Wujiang’s intoxicated driving situation and reduce the number of crashes caused by intoxicated driving.

13. A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Primary Care Screening And Brief Clinician Intervention To Reduce Adolescents’ Riding With An Intoxicated Driver

13. A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Primary Care Screening And Brief Clinician Intervention To Reduce Adolescents’ Riding With An Intoxicated Driver

MOPEDS: The high cost of cheap and poorly legislated transportation for negligent drivers

INTRODUCTIONThis study evaluates the impact of moped crashes in North Carolina, a state with lenient moped legislation by(1) describing the characteristics of moped crashes and (2) estimating the cost burden of moped-related injuries. METHODSHealth and public records of moped crash subjects treated at our hospital were reviewed. Direct costs were billed hospital charges. Indirect costs based on age and outcomes were calculated. RESULTSBetween 2008–2013, 368 subjects were involved in 373 moped crashes. 52% of drivers were intoxicated. 38% of drivers had prior DWIs and 26% had prior revoked licenses. Hospitalized subjects (n = 305) had a combined 2687 hospital days, 695 ICU days and 449 trips to the operating room for treatment of their injuries. Average hospital charges were $70,561 per subject. Total direct and indirect costs of moped injuries were over $26 million and $81 million respectively. Medicaid absorbed most of the direct cost ($13.7 M). Estimated direct cost of moped crashes across the state totaled $133 million. CONCLUSIONHealthcare and financial ramifications of moped collisions are substantial. Laws governing moped drivers and stricter penalties for intoxicated drivers are needed.

Situation of Land Transportation in Nepal

There is a close relation between increment of transportation (roads and vehicles) and socio-economic development of the nation however, present condition of Nepal is discouraging. The study deals with present situation of land transportation, its problems with suggestions. An attempt has been made to point out causes and nature of road accidents, problems faced by general people and businessmen during travel and transportation of cargo. This study reveals that out of 29157 kilometers available road network only 12305 kilometers (42.20 %) road was black topped and the condition of road was miserable because there was no proper and regular repair and maintenance. Graveled roads were in very poor condition and in most of the roads and bridges were not constructed. Earthen roads were not suitable for travelling in rainy season. The buses run on long routes were found violating norm of keeping double drivers, the speed of vehicle remained higher than limit. They unnecessarily used loud or pressurize horn which had created noise pollution. The vehicles moved on graveled and earthen roads had been operating in poor condition. Vehicles were very old and damaged and only a few vehicles moved on certain routes. Vehicle accident incidences had frequently occurred in hilly areas where vehicles plunged down from the road and number of fatalities and injuries were found in double digit. The major reasons of accidents were high speed of vehicles, steering or brake failure, untrained and intoxicated drivers, driving by cleaner/conductor, continuous long duty hours of drivers, poor condition of vehicle, muddy and slippery roads, haphazard overtaking practice on single lane roads, lack of concentration of drivers on driving , non-observance of safety measures, traffic rules and signs, drove vehicle without wearing seat belt/helmet, kept more passengers than allowed/available seats, hung passengers on gate, backside and roof, loaded cargo beyond the limited weight and height respectively.

A drug identification system for intoxicated drivers based on a systematic review

Tests to detect the use of illegal substances among drivers are becoming more common. During these tests, a saliva test is performed and agents observe the driver to determine whether or not they are driving under the influence of psychoactive substances. During the joint control of alcohol and drugs, a breath test is performed followed by a saliva test. In addition, agents use a previously established observation questionnaire to evaluate external signs that the driver may present. This review aims to help expand and improve the questionnaire administered by the traffic officer to the driver, so that upon completing the questionnaire as indicated, it is possible to determine which drug corresponds to the symptoms displayed by the driver. The diagnosis will be facilitated by a software tool that employs the use of decision trees whose gain function has been modified to give different weights to signs and methods. A study was conducted on the symptoms and observable and/or easily detectable signs of drugs detected at sobriety checkpoints. This has enabled the creation of a test that determines the substance consumed by the driver. The proposal facilitates the detection of drugs with the data gathered from the test.

A Systematic Review of Intervening to Prevent Driving While Intoxicated: The Problem of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)

ABSTRACTBackground: Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a significant public health issue. The likelihood someone will intervene to prevent DWI is affected by the characteristics of the individuals and the context of the potential driving scenario. Understanding such contexts may help tailor public health messages to promote intervening from those who are nearby to an intoxicated driver. Objective: This systematic review investigates the behavior of those close to an intoxicated driver and factors associated with increasing the likelihood they will intervene in situations where driving while impaired may be likely. The review of the literature is guided by an orienting framework, namely the classic social psychology theory of decision-making proposed by Latané and Darley. Results: Drawing upon this framework, the review examines the extent to which research has focused on factors which influence whether or not an individual identifies a need to intervene and identifies a seriously dangerous situation. In addition, consideration is given to perceived personal responsibility. The final two components of the model are then discussed; the perceived skill an individual who may intervene has (in their ability to intervene) and their actual enactment of the intervening behavior. Conclusions and Importance: Drawing upon such a well-considered theoretical framework, this review provides guidance on key components likely to assist in the development of targeted, more effective public education messages and campaigns that dissuade individuals from drinking and then driving.

Exploring the Athletic Trainer's Role in Assisting Student-Athletes Presenting With Alcohol-Related Unintentional Injuries.

Compared with their nonathlete peers, collegiate athletes consume higher quantities of alcohol, drink with greater frequency, and exhibit an increased propensity to engage in heavy episodic drinking (ie, binge drinking), which often may result in alcohol-related consequences. Moreover, collegiate athletes are also more likely to engage in other maladaptive lifestyle behaviors, such as participating in physical fights and riding with an intoxicated driver, and less likely to engage in protective behaviors, such as wearing a helmet while operating a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle. Taken together, these behaviors clearly pose a health risk for student-athletes and increase the likelihood that they will experience an alcohol-related unintentional injury (ARUI). An ARUI represents a risk not only to the health and well-being of collegiate athletes but also to their athletic performances, collegiate careers, and potential professional opportunities. Therefore, athletic trainers need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide face-to-face brief interventions to student-athletes presenting with ARUIs and to evaluate the effect of their involvement. We address potential action items for implementation by athletic trainers.

Legal consequences for alcohol-impaired drivers injured in motor vehicle collisions: A systematic review

BackgroundThe treatment of alcohol-impaired drivers injured in a motor vehicle collision (MVC) is a complex public health issue. We conducted a systematic review to describe the legal consequences for alcohol-impaired drivers injured in a MVC and taken to a hospital or trauma center. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL databases from inception until August 2014. We included studies that reported legal consequences including charges or convictions of injured drivers taken to a hospital or trauma center after a MVC with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding the legal limit.Results Twenty-six studies met inclusion criteria; twenty studies were conducted in the USA, five in Canada, and one in Sweden. All were cohort studies (23 retrospective, 3 prospective) and included 11,409 patients overall. A total of 5,127 drivers had a BAC exceeding the legal limit, with legal consequences reported in 4937 cases. The median overall DUI/DWI conviction rate was 13% (range 0–85%). The median percentage of drivers with a previous conviction on their record for driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) was 15.5% (range 6–40%). The median percentage of drivers convicted again for DUI/DWI during the study period was 3.5% (range 2–10%). Heterogeneity between study designs, legal jurisdictions, institutional procedures and policies for obtaining a legally admissible BAC measurement precluded a meta-analysis. Conclusions The majority of intoxicated drivers injured in MVCs and seen in the emergency department are never charged or convicted. A substantial proportion of injured intoxicated drivers had more than one conviction for DUI/DWI on their police record.

Drivers' visual scanning impairment under the influences of alcohol and distraction: a literature review.

Alcohol intoxication and distraction are two of the leading factors associated with impaired driving and fatalities, especially among younger drivers. However, it is currently unclear how these conditions affect mechanisms of visual attention considered essential for driving. The present article first reviews the literature to provide an overview of visual attention as it relates to driving. Secondly, the effects of alcohol and distraction on neurocognitive mechanisms of visual attention are summarised to provide a background which informs discussion of selected driving studies. Visual scanning impairment is identified as a consequence of both alcohol and distraction. Thus, experimental studies combining the use of simulated driving and eye tracking technologies are selected and critically reviewed to assess the relationship between eye movements and driving errors as possible indicators of visual scanning impairment. Seven of the eight studies selected investigated the effects of distraction while only one addressed alcohol. Evaluation of these studies suggests that distraction may affect visual scanning by increasing cognitive load which interferes with visual processing. The evidence for effects of alcohol on drivers' visual scanning capacity is currently scarce due to the lack of research with a specific focus on impairments of eye movement in intoxicated drivers. Lack of consistency between studies is identified as a current issue which makes it difficult to compare the results of different studies. Finally, we note that our strict selection of driving studies to avoid greater disparity between them is a limitation of the present review.