DRINKING AND DRIVING IN THE UNITED-STATES - THE 1996-NATIONAL-ROADSIDE-SURVEY

Following the same general principles of its two predecessors in 1973 and 1986, the 1996 National Roadside Survey of weekend, nighttime driv ers in the 48 contiguous states interviewed and breath tested over 600 0 noncommercial four-wheel vehicle operators between September 6 and N ovember 9, 1996. Results indicated that the total number of drinking d rivers fell by about one-third between 1986 and 1996; however, there w as no significant change in the number of drivers at blood alcohol con centrations (BACs) at or above 0.05. Compared to 1973, the proportion of women drivers on the roads during weekend nights has increased sign ificantly. Moreover, relative to males, the proportion of female drive rs who have been drinking has increased over the last decade. The numb er of drivers under the age of 21 with a BAC at or above 0.10 decrease d significantly from 1986 to 1996. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.