Citation

Biecheler-Fretel MB, Facy F, Peytavin JF. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 2002; 2002: 991-997.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Several sources of data in France are able to describe the different aspects of drinking and driving behavior, including: consumption, preventive tests and offences, medical consulting, and accidents. Analysis of these data over the last decade raises new questions in France about the strategies to prevent road risk and/or health risk. The main data to be analyzed are from: 1) roadside checks (1990-2000), 2) populations and sub populations of drivers involved in accidents with alcohol (1990-2000) , 3) populations of drivers convicted for driving under the influence, their punishment by judges (1995-2000), and 4) surveys about medical care needed by offenders (1998-1999). We compare the profiles of offenders and involved drivers, focusing on an analysis by age. The drinking-driving prevention system in the period between 1990 and 2000 appears to have reduced the number of accidents that can be attributable to alcohol. In 1999-2000, alcohol is as much present among young drivers (18-24 yrs) as among the older (25-40 yrs ): from 40% to 50% illegal BAC in fatal accidents on week-end nights. The national testing system results in around 100,000 convictions each year and a third of the cases need medical care .The roads (and the courts) have a massive potential for detecting the alcoholism of older drivers (above 30 years and moreover above 40 years) and the problem consumption of younger drivers. The possibility of using traffic enforcement as a means of educating drivers about alcohol risks will be discussed.