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home / centre for automotive safety research / Publications / List / Details Publication Details| Title | Demographic characteristics, drinking patterns and drink driving behaviour of injured male drivers and motorcycle riders | | Authors | Holubowycz OT, McLean AJ | | Year | 1995 | | Type | Journal Article | | Abstract | Objective: The demographic characteristics, usual drinking and drink-driving patterns, incidence of problem drinking, pre-crash drinking behavior and attitudes towards drink-driving of crash involved male drivers and riders are described and related to blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on admission to hospital. A better understanding of these issues will enable drink-driving countermeasures to target more specifically those individuals who are most at risk of being killed or injured in alcohol-related road crashes. Method: Between June 1985 and April 1987 interviews were conducted with a sample of 302 male drivers and motorcycle riders admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia. Results: With one exception, the likelihood of having a high BAC (i.e., 80 mg/dl or above) did not differ with demographic profile. As BAC increased, there was a significant increase in: various indices of quantity and frequency of drinking; beer being the preferred beverage; percentages drinking alone, in a hotel, in a vehicle and for various less socially acceptable reasons; frequency of drink driving; likelihood of previous drink-driving suspension; and, more liberal attitudes towards drink-driving. About 25% of those with a BAC of at least 150 mg/dl were probably experiencing alcohol-related problems prior to the crash, compared with only a very small proportion of those with lower BACs. Precrash drinking most commonly involved drinking in a hotel, drinking with friends and drinking beer, with no significant differences between BAC groups. Conclusions: The results suggest that usual drinking and drink-driving patterns, as well as attitudes to drink driving, become more extreme as the BAC of male crash-involved drivers and riders increases. | | Journal Title | Journal of Studies on Alcohol | | Journal Volume (Issue) | 56(5) | | Page Range | 513-521 | | Page Count | 10 | | Notes | Available from CASR library on request |
| Reference | | Holubowycz OT, McLean AJ (1995). Demographic characteristics, drinking patterns and drink driving behaviour of injured male drivers and motorcycle riders. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 56(5), 513-521. |
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