Association of alcohol-related laws with deaths due to motor vehicle and motorcycle crashes in the United States, 1980-1997.

Author(s)
Villaveces, A. Cummings, P. Koepsell, T.D. Rivara, F.P. Lumley, T. & Moffat, J.
Year
Abstract

The authors compared US motor vehicle and motorcycle mortality rates during periods when each of several alcohol-related laws were in effect with mortality rates during other periods. During the period 1980-1997, there were 792,184 deaths due to motor vehicle crashes and 63,052 deaths due to motorcycle crashes. An estimated 26% and 49% of these fatalities, respectively, were attributable to alcohol use. The incidence of alcohol-related mortality in motor vehicle crashes was lower when laws specifying a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 g/dl per se (laws stating that it is a criminal offence to drive with a blood alcohol concentration above the state's legal limit) were in effect (adjusted rate ratio (RR) = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83, 0.88). For motorcycle deaths, the adjusted rate ratio was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.95). The incidence of alcohol-related mortality in motor vehicle crashes was also lower during periods when two other types of laws were in effect: zero tolerance laws (adjusted RR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.90) and administrative license revocation laws (adjusted RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.98). Overall motorcycle mortality was lower when administrative license revocation laws were in effect (adjusted RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.98). (Author/publisher)

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Publication

Library number
C 29634 [electronic version only]
Source

American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 157 (2003), No. 2 (January 15), p. 131-140, 75 ref.

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