This report has grown out of MADD Canada’s ongoing public education and research projects. First, almost all of these initiatives are based, in part, on an understanding of the adverse consequences and costs of alcohol consumption. Second, many of the projects require that this type of information be marshalled, explained and documented. The more current, comprehensive and authoritative this information, the stronger the projects. This edition of the report is longer and broader in scope than its predecessors. For example, the materials on alcohol consumption and costs, alcohol and fires, and alcohol and the workplace have been expanded. We have also included information on alcohol and pilots as well as statistics on drug-impaired driving. The number of charts has been increased and we have placed them as close to the relevant text as possible. The primary purpose of this report is to provide a single, referenced source of current facts on alcohol-related trauma. While we have focused on Canada, data has also been included on the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and to a lesser extent Europe and New Zealand. More information has been included from other jurisdictions when that data was current and comprehensive, or when the Canadian data was not as detailed as we would have wanted. Although the international data must be used with caution, it provides a perspective in assessing how well Canada has fared in addressing certain alcohol-related problems. Whenever possible, we have relied on the most current and authoritative sources. Preference was given to articles from leading journals, review articles, government sources, and studies from well-recognized organizations, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information. However, it is important to emphasize that we did not conduct a comprehensive review of the research literature, apply defined inclusion criteria, or undertake a systematic assessment of the relative quality of the research. Finally, we have not attempted to verify the findings that the various sources reported. Despite these limitations, this study should provide a useful resource for those interested in alcoholrelated trauma and impaired driving in Canada. (Author/publisher)
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