The Long Beach/Fort Lauderdale relative risk study.

PROBLEM: The role of alcohol as a major factor in traffic crash causation has been firmly established. However, controversy remains as to the precise shape of the relative risk function and the BAC at which crash risk begins to increase. METHODS: This study used a case-control design in two locations: Long Beach, California, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Data were collected on 2,871 crashes of all severities and a matched control group of drivers selected from the same time, location, and direction of travel as the crash drivers. Of the 14,985 sample drivers, 81.3% of the crash drivers and 97.9% of the controls provided a valid BAC specimen. RESULTS: When adjusted for covariates and nonparticipation bias, increases in relative risk were observed at BACs of .04-.05, and the elevations in risk became very pronounced when BACs exceeded .10. DISCUSSION: The results provide strong support for .08 per se laws and for state policies that increase sanctions for BACs in excess of .15. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This study provides further precision on the deleterious effects of alcohol on driving and, by implication, on other complex tasks.

An overview of field sobriety test research.

Traffic officers stop moving vehicles for probable cause, most frequently a traffic code violation. When an officer approaches the driver of a stopped vehicle, he may note an odor of alcohol or other signs indicating alcohol consumption. In such circumstances, it is the officer's duty to undertake an alcohol investigation. If the driver is asked to get out of the vehicle to perform roadside maneuvers, the performance of the maneuvers, together with the officer's observations and the driver's responses to questions, are the evidence on which an arrest or release decision is based. In some jurisdictions, officers also obtain a measurement of the driver's alcohol level with a Preliminary Breath Test, but not all agencies permit breath tests at road-side or provide the instruments for them. A Standardized Field Sobriety Test battery, which includes Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn test, and One-leg Stand test, is widely used. If the driver is arrested, the admissibility of the officer's testimony about them at trial often is challenged. Sobriety tests have been examined in three laboratory studies and five field studies in the United States. Two additional studies were conducted in Finland. To provide an overview of sobriety test research in a single publication, this paper presents the methods and findings of these studies.

Drinking and driving among Mexican American and non-Hispanic white males in Long Beach, California.

Although drinking and driving in the United States has declined substantially during the past two decades, this trend has not been seen among Hispanic drivers. Higher rates of driving while impaired (DWI) arrests and alcohol-related crashes, particularly among Mexican Americans, also have been noted. The extent to which this reflects a lack of understanding of DWI laws rather than a disregard for them is unknown. A survey was conducted among Mexican American and non-Hispanic white male DWI arrestees in Long Beach, California, to ascertain alcohol use, attitudes toward drinking and drinking and driving, and knowledge of DWI laws. The findings were compared with those of Mexican American and non-Hispanic white males recruited from the local community. Mexican American males, both DWIs and those from the community, reported heavier drinking than non-Hispanic white males. All four groups of respondents tended to underestimate the number of drinks needed to achieve the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold at or above which it is illegal to drive under California law. Estimations were around 2-3 drinks rather than a more realistic estimate of 4-5 drinks. However, Mexican American DWIs and their comparison group vastly overestimated the number of drinks to make them unsafe drivers (8- 10 drinks). Furthermore, fewer than half were aware of the BAC threshold in California (0.08%) compared with between 60 and 78% of non-Hispanic whites. This study is limited in scope and needs to be replicated in other communities and with other racial/ethnic groups. However, the clear lack of knowledge of the DWI law in California and a lack of understanding of the relationship between number of drinks and BAC point to the need for culturally sensitive programs that are developed and implemented within the Mexican American community.