Citation

Gullberg RG, Andersson L, Jones AW. J. Traffic Med. 1997; 25(3-4): 77-87.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol-traffic enforcement programs employing breath alcohol testing are compared between Sweden (legal limit 0.021 g/210L) and the state of Washington (legal limit 0.10 g/210L). Program comparison provides insight and guidance for implementing similar programs. Methods: Drunk driving (DUI) arrest data from 1994 was compared (Sweden n=15,284 and Washington n=35,006). Sweden employs the Intoxilyzer 5000S breath alcohol instrument while Washington employs the BAC Datamaster. Both jurisdictions maintain host computer systems that retain arrest and analytical data. Statistical comparisons were performed. Results: The mean age of DUI subjects in Sweden was 37 y with 9.6% of them women. The mean age in Washington was 34 y with 17.4% women. In Sweden, 0.3% refused the breath test compared with 19% in Washington. The standard deviation of breath alcohol measurement increased with concentration for both. The limit of quantitation for the Intoxilyzer was 0.006 g/210L while the Datamaster was 0.008 g/210L. Conclusions: Evidential breath-alcohol testing with automated data collection systems permit demographic and analytical comparisons. This allows interjurisdictional comparisons of different programs and feed-back for administrators regarding procedural, quality control and legal considerations.

Keywords

Ethanol impaired driving