Alcohol use among fatally injured drivers in Spain

Blood from 285 fatally injured drivers in Northern Spain was collected and tested for the presence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol was detected in 50.5% of all fatalities. Alcohol alone was detected in 44.2% of all samples and in the remaining 6.3% another substance was found together with alcohol. Bl ood alcohol concentration was classified in different levels. It has been o bserved that in 35.4% of the cases the blood alcohol level was greater than or equal to 0.8 g/l, the legal Limit in Spain for car drivers. Alcohol tog ether with other substances was encountered in 18 cases, with medication in 22.2% (4 out of 18), alcohol with illegal drugs in 66.6% of the cases (12 out of 18), and alcohol with medicines and illegal drugs in 11.1% (2 out of 18), Cocaine was the most commonly detected drug. The study shows how wide spread the incidence of a high level of alcohol concentration among drivers involved in fatal accidents in Spain. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Lt d. All rights reserved.