TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1999//
TI  - A comparison of driver- and passenger-based estimates of alcohol-impaired driving
JO  - American journal of preventive medicine
A1  - Dellinger, Ann M.
A1  - Bolen, Julie C.
A1  - Sacks, Jeffrey J.
SP  - 283
EP  - 288
VL  - 16
IS  - 4
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Persons who drive after drinking or ride with drinking drivers are at increased risk of motor vehicle crash. Although alcohol is involved in 40% of fatal motor vehicle crashes yearly, there exist few systems to monitor alcohol-impaired driving. In this study we compare driver- and passenger-based estimates of the prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving. DESIGN: A random-digit-dialing telephone survey of the United States. Participants were adults aged 18 or older who were English- or Spanish-speaking from 5238 households (response rate = 56.1%). RESULTS: From the 4603 respondents who reported driving in the preceding 30 days, we estimate that there were 126 million drinking-driving episodes in the United States in 1994. From the 4380 passengers in the preceding 30 days, we estimate 191 million episodes. Three percent of respondents self-reported as drinking drivers (4.8% of males and 1.3% of females) and 4.9% as passengers of drinking drivers. Drinking drivers were more likely to be passengers of drinking drivers (44% versus 4% of nondrinking drivers). Drinking drivers were also more than twice as likely to report drinking daily, and only one half as likely to report always wearing their safety belts. CONCLUSION: Passengers who report riding with a drinking driver may provide an important estimate of the prevalence of drinking driving. Passengers of drinking drivers represent a high-risk group that is not considered in most prevention efforts. Because being a passenger of a drinking driver is not illegal, it may be an easier topic for clinicians to broach than drinking and driving.
LA  - 
SN  - 0749-3797
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -