Age, sex, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) data are provided on a sample of 734 Canadian pedestrian fatalities, followed by a descriptive evaluation of 164 victims who had BAC's in excess of 80 mgm.% (defined as "impaired"). The impaired pedestrian fatality is more often a male in the 30-to-50 age range, and is usually an unskilled worker. The victim is killed on a weekend, almost always at night, in clear weather; he is usually killed on a straight road on which he is walking or lying. In almost all cases, the victim is struck by a car travelling straight ahead and, in most cases, the driver's action is judged not to be in error. Further analysis will compare the attributes of the sober vs. the impaired pedestrian, focusing on 15-to-60-year-old victims. More detailed information on the characteristics of fatally injured pedestrians is highly desirable in order to identify high-risk populations.
Abstract