Citation

Iffland R. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1993; 1993: 160-165.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

The 30th German Meeting of Traffic Courts has been concerned with the medical psychological examination of drunk drivers after withdrawal of their licence. Fundamental questions considered are: (1) Are single alcohol concentration tests and certain additional criteria sufficient for a driver to retain a licence, with reasonable assurance of an aversion from alcohol? (2) Is more justice done if further criteria, such as concentrations of methanol or GGT, are also considered? This paper discusses an investigation of distribution of GGT in a 1991 sample of male drivers from Cologne, Germany. Charts are given for the frequency distributions of: (1) age and blood alcohol in drunken car drivers; (2) blood alcohol in male drunken drivers in different age groups; (3) GGT levels in male drunken drivers of different age groups and blood alcohol levels. 30% of the drunk drivers were found to have problems with alcohol, and are especially dangerous to other road users. There were considerable discrepancies between indications given by blood alcohol level and GGT level. The author considers that before a decision is made about a driver's licence, GGT levels, and perhaps also those of other alcohol markers, should be measured in addition to blood alcohol levels.