ALCOHOL-RELATED MEASURES AS FACTORS IN TRAFFIC FATALITIES

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if alcohol-relat ed measures (per capita consumption, drinking-driving arrest rate, alc ohol abuse treatment rate and Alcoholics Anonymous [AA] membership rat e) were related to differences between states in traffic fatality rate s (total and alcohol-related). Method: Fatality rates were regressed o nto the alcohol-related variables, using state level data for 1982 and 1990 as well as measures of relative change between the 2 years. Resu lts: Fatality rates demonstrated significant positive relationships wi th per capita consumption and drinking-driving arrest rates, and signi ficant negative relationships with AA membership rates, for the years 1982 and 1990. Also, changes in per capita consumption were significan tly and positively related to changes in both traffic fatality measure s. Conclusions: Per capita alcohol consumption measures were the stron gest and most consistent determinants of traffic fatality measures. Th e negative relationship between AA membership rates and traffic fatali ty measures for 1982 and 1990 suggests a beneficial impact of AA on th ese measures at the aggregate level, although other explanations are p ossible.