@article{ref1,
title="The legal limit: differences in Injury Severity Score for vehicular crashes",
journal="Journal of trauma nursing",
year="2016",
author="Sorrentino, Christopher J. and Schulz, John and Chaudry, Aisha and Cohen, Eric and Friedman, Yelena",
volume="23",
number="4",
pages="184-188",
abstract="In 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board advised lawmakers in the United States to reduce the legal limit of blood alcohol content (BAC) from 0.08% to 0.05%.   The purpose of this research was to evaluate the rationale for reducing the legal limit of BAC to 0.05% through analysis of the relationship between BAC and injury severity.   A correlational study was conducted on patients with positive BAC involved in a motor vehicular collision. Retrospective review of 446 trauma patients (aged 18-80 years) injured in a vehicular collision routinely screened for BAC was conducted. Two groups were compared: Group 1, patients with nonzero blood alcohol concentration (n = 101); and Group 2, patients with zero blood alcohol (n = 345). Standard statistical analyses were utilized.   A total of 101 patients (23%) had a detectable BAC on admission. Patients with a detectable BAC were younger (33 and 44 years) and more likely to be male (27% and 16%). There was no statistically significant association between both injury severity score (ISS) and BAC or between ISS and age.   There was no significant correlation between higher BAC and a higher ISS. Positive BAC alone may not affect ISS, but the potential for risk-taking behaviors by drivers under the influence may increase injury severity.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1078-7496",
doi="10.1097/JTN.0000000000000214",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JTN.0000000000000214"
}