ARREST AND CONVICTION OF INJURED INTOXICATED DRIVERS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

The legal hazards of driving under the influence (DUI) are frequently not appreciated by alcohol users. Physicians who treat such patients f ollowing collisions are often unaware of the judicial disposition foll owing hospital discharge. We examined the courthouse records of 511 in toxicated drivers involved in collisions and admitted to one Level I T rauma Center to determine if DUI arrests and convictions were obtained . The proportion arrested for DUI ranged from 6%-54% (mean 41%) depend ing on county of crash site and distance from the trauma center. Of th ose arrested, the proportion of DUI convictions averaged 98% for all j urisdictions. Two hundred and nineteen intoxicated drivers were transp orted from the crash scene by helicopter. Increased transport distance was associated with a lower arrest proportion (p = 0.01). Most injure d intoxicated drivers in this study were not arrested for DUI. Of thos e identified and arrested, conviction was a virtual certainty. Helicop tor transport may provide additional protection from prosecution.