Citation

McLean AJ, Kloeden CN, McCaul KA. Aust. J. Public Health 1991; 15(3): 190-193.

Affiliation

NHMRC Road Accident Research Unit, University of Adelaide, SA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Public Health Association of Australia)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1932324

Abstract

A roadside breath alcohol survey was conducted by the NHMRC Road Accident Research Unit in 1989 to monitor the efficacy of random breath testing (RBT) by the police. A reduction of 40 per cent in the proportion of drivers above the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.08 g/100 ml was found to coincide with a marked increase in the level of publicity of police RBT operations. Other factors may also have contributed to these large reductions in illegal drink-driving but this result was similar to that observed in 1987 when a major increase in publicity was accompanied by an increase in the level of enforcement of RBT. Although the full effect of these reductions has diminished with time, there appears to have been a decrease in illegal drink-driving in Adelaide from 1983 to 1987 and again to 1989.