THE AGE AND SEX CHARACTERISTICS OF DRIVERS RANDOMLY STOPPED BY POLICE-CONDUCTED SPOT-CHECKS AND SUSPECTED OF DRINKING WERE COMPARED TO DRIVERS STOPPED AND BREATH-TESTED DURING AN INDEPENDENT ROADSIDE SURVEY. DISCREPANCIES WERE EVIDENT. A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PROPORTION OF YOUNGER DRIVERS WERE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT TO A ROADSIDE SCREENING DEVICE, YET A GREATER PROPORTION OF OLDER DRIVERS, PARTICULARLY FEMALES, REGISTERED A "FAIL" (OVER 80 MG/100 ML). THE RESULTS OF THE INDEPENDENT ROADSIDE SURVEY OF THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL REGION FOUND NO DIFFERENCES IN THE PROPORTION OF YOUNGER AND OLDER DRIVERS WITH BAC'S OVER 80 MG. ALTHOUGH THE NATURE OF THE STUDY PRECLUDES FIRM CONCLUSIONS BEING DRAWN, HYPOTHESES ARE OFFERED AS INTERPRETATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS.(Author/publisher).
Abstract