2013•International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (T2013), 20th, 2013, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaRequires access
Responsibility for non-fatal collision with blood alcohol concentration less than 0.05 per cent
Edward Ogden, C Craig Morris, T Frederiksen, Martin Boorman, Con K. K. Stough, Rebecca King
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Abstract
In Victoria, motorists taken to hospital after a motor vehicle collision are required to provide a sample of blood for analysis. In a study of 1809 drivers injured in collision, 487 drivers (27 per cent of the total) tested positive for alcohol. This study aimed to test the hypotheses that low blood alcohol concentrations are associated with significant increase in responsibility for collision. Collision data and toxicology was available from 1809 collisions were the driver was taken to hospital. Collision data was subject to responsibility analysis. 47 drivers had a blood alcohol concentration less than 0.05 per cent. 36 were responsible for the collision, 8 contributed and 3 were not responsible for the collision. These drivers with low blood alcohol concentration were 7.7 times more likely to have been responsible for the collision than drivers who had not been drinking. 82 per cent of these collisions involved another vehicle. These results support zero tolerance for alcohol. There is no rational reason to consider blood alcohol concentrations below 0.05 per cent as 'safe'.