Citation

Van Peteghem C, Heyndrickx A, Verdonk R, Bongaerts W, Merckx J, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine. J. Traffic Med. 1980; 8(2): 23-25.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

For the 346 accident victims admitted to the University Hospitals emergency rooms in Ghent, Belgium during 1 Mar-31 Jul 1977, blood alcohol levels (BAL's) and the socioeconomic consequences of injuries were statistically analyzed. No correlation was found between BAL's and injury severity, length of hospital stay, hospital expenses, and inability to work. About 30% of the accident victims were under the influence of alcohol. The average blood alcohol level of those with positive BAL's was 1.47 gm./1., a figure far exceeding the legal limit of 0.80 gm./1. set for driving while intoxicated. Traffic was the main cause of accidents (42%), followed by home accidents (27%). Motorcycles and bicycles contributed to 40% of all traffic accidents.

Ethanol impaired driving

Language: en

Keywords

Crashes; Motorcycles; Blood alcohol levels; Traffic crashes; Bicycles; Socioeconomic factors; Hospitals