Aims. To analyze the association between alcohol intake and the severi
ty of injuries sustained from traffic accidents on a Mexican highway.
Design. An observational unit evaluated drivers involved in auto accid
ents. Setting. Mexico-Cuernavaca Highway, Mexico. A 60 km-long road wi
th many altitude variations and sharp curves. Participants. Three hund
red and eighty-six drivers involved in traffic accidents between March
and September, 1994. Measurements. A questionnaire was applied to the
driver, an occupant or witness at the site of the accident to collect
information about the driver, vehicle characteristics, type of accide
nt, day-night occurrence, road section (Mexico-Cuernavaca or Cuernavac
a-Mexico) and weather conditions. A physical examination was carried o
ut to determine the presence and severity of injuries. Findings. There
were 177 injured people, including 12 deaths, with rates of 67.5 inju
ries and 4.58 deaths per 10 000 Km driven. Variables associated with a
lcohol intake (p < 0.05) included: severity of injuries, non-use of se
at belt, vehicle size and occurrence at night. Risk factors for severe
injuries were: alcohol intake (adjusted OR 6.1 CI 95% 1.6-24.0); non-
use of seat belt (OR 4.9 CI 2.2-10.8), age < 25 years (OR 3.6 CI 1.0-1
2.7), age > 54 years (OR 6.0 CI 1.4-25.0), speed > 90 km/h (OR 2.6 CI
1.1-6.3) and occurrence at night (OR 2.6 CI 1.3-5.3). Conclusions. Alc
ohol intake is a major risk factor for severe injuries from highway tr
affic accidents. Its association with other risk factors such as non-u
se of seat belt and excessive speed suggests the importance of designi
ng interventions aimed at reducing alcohol intake among automobile dri
vers.