INJURED INTOXICATED DRIVERS - CITATION, CONVICTION, REFERRAL, AND RECIDIVISM RATES

Study objectives: Several studies have suggested that legally intoxica ted drivers who are injured when involved in a motor vehicle crash are unlikely to be cited or prosecuted for driving under the influence (D UI). The purpose of this study was to determine (1)the rates of citati on and prosecution of legally intoxicated drivers who are injured in a motor vehicle crash and hospitalized in a Level I trauma center, (2) the rates of previous and subsequent alcohol-related citation in this population, and (3) the rate of referral for treatment of alcohol-rela ted problems made during the hospital stay. Methods: In a retrospectiv e review of trauma registry and Cleveland Municipal Court records from January 1993 through April 1995, we examined the records of all drive rs injured in a motor vehicle crash who were transported to a level I urban trauma center, admitted to the trauma service, and determined to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .10 gm% or higher at the time o f admission to the emergency department. Results: Seventy drivers admi tted after a motor vehicle crash had a BAC of .10 gm% or higher. This represented 33% of the drivers older than 16 years of age who were adm itted to the trauma service. Twenty-three drivers (32.8%) were cited f or DUI, and 15 (21%) of the 70 were successfully prosecuted and convic ted. Four of 23 cited drivers had previous citations; another 5 incurr ed subsequent citations during the study period. Eight of the 70 drive rs who were admitted with a high BAC were referred for outpatient alco hol counseling after discharge. None were offered counseling as inpati ents. Conclusion: Citation and prosecution rates of legally intoxicate d drivers injured in motor vehicle crashes and hospitalized in our tra uma center were low. Recognition of alcoholism and inpatient counselin g were rare. Multiple alcohol-related citations were common among driv ers cited for DUI.