Drunk driving in Finland

The purpose of this report is to provide a current picture about drunk driving in Finland. The report addresses drunk driving utilising statistics and research results. In addition, different methods of drunk driving prevention are evaluated. The annual amount of fatalities in drunk driving accidents has stayed on almost the same level since the beginning of the 1970s, when one leaves out the strong effects that the changes in alcohol policy and the wild years of the economy had on the development. During this period, the number of injured in drunk driving accidents has decreased about 200 cases annually. Approximately 84 people have died and 956 people have been injured in drunk driving accidents annually. There are more drunk drivers deaths than previously, about the same amount of passenger death and a reduction of about ten cases of bystander death at the annual level. The portion of fatalities in drunk driving accidents in comparison to all traffic-related deaths has doubled since the beginning of the 1970s. The number of drunk driving cases - which have come to the attention of the police - has increased in a linear pattern since the mid-1990s. There are continuously more drunk drivers amidst our traffic. In the Uusimaa region, every 320th driver in the flow of traffic is a drunk driver and every 95th driver has consumed some alcohol. The number of gross drunk driving offenders is on the rise. Approximately half of the drunk drivers have an alcohol problem. Drunk driving focuses on the regions of southern Finland: in Uusimaa, eastern Uusimaa, Kymenlaakso and southern Karelia. It is least common in Ostrobothnia and in the northern parts of our country. A typical drunk driver is 30 to 39 years of age. However, the age group 18-20 possesses the greatest risk of being involved - as a drunk driver - in a traffic accident which results in bodily injury. The risk is four times the risk of middle-aged drivers. Drunk driving is a male crime, even though the portion of women of all drunk drivers has doubled in 20 years. The changes in alcohol consumption seem to have a stronger effect on the drunk driving of young people than the driving habits of the elderly. Observing the situation through all available means, one can state that drunk driving increased from 2000 to 2002, but the preliminary data from 2003 and 2004 suggest that drunk driving has decreased again. The consumption of alcohol has been speculated to grow to 11 litres per inhabitant by the year 2005. In addition to alcohol consumption, the general level of traffic safety has an effect on drunk driving deaths. One can predict that the number of drunk driving fatalities will increase by 10-25%. The attitudes of the citizens towards drunk driving have softened. The penalties from drunk driving are less severe. The risk of getting caught is the most effective prevention factor regarding drunk driving. Also activities which increase the general traffic safety level have an effect on the drunk driving problem. This report may be found at http://www.liikenneturva.fi/fi/tutkimus/tutkimusmonisteet/liitetiedostot/Rattijuopumus_Suomessa.pdf