Citation

Mathijssen MPM. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1995; 1995: 535-541.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Drinking-driving in the Netherlands has dropped significantly since the mid-eighties. In 1983, 12 percent of car drivers during weekend nights were over the legal BAC limit of 0.05 percent. In 1987, just before the introduction of evidential breath testing, this proportion dropped to 8 percent. Important influencing factors were more accurate testing methods, and improved enforcement strategies, i.e. random breath testing, In the following years, a further decrease to 3.9 percent in 1991 was noted. However, from 1992 on, drinking-driving started to increase gradually: 4.0 percent in 1992 and 4.4 percent in 1993. Preliminary results of the 1994 measurements show an even further increase. The recent increase of drinking-driving coincides with a reorganisation of Dutch police where the majority of former traffic police units have been disbanded. In 1993, police officers coordinating SWOV's drinking and driving measurements were interviewed on the subject of alcohol law enforcement. Half of them stated police enforcement activities had dropped by an estimated 20-60 percent,30 percent reported a slight increase of 10-20 percent, and 20 percent reported no change. Preliminary results of repeated interviews in 1994 showed a further decline of police enforcement, with the resulting level of random breath testing close to zero in several police districts.