This paper describes the main changes in French regulations on drink and driving between 1983 and 1991, and provides quantitative information for assessing the policy of roadside tests and sanctions during this period. In 1983, it became an indictable offence to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 0.8g/l or a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of more than 0.4mg/l. In 1986, 1987 and 1990, authorised officials were granted new powers, and the penalties for drinking and driving were modified and strengthened. Figures 1 to 4 cover changes during 1983-91 in the number of tests performed, and in the percentage of results over the legal limit. The tests concerned are: (1) random tests; (2) tests following motoring offences; (3) tests following nonfatal injury accidents; (4) tests following fatal accidents. Drinking drivers were found to have much higher accident rates. Tables 4 to 7 show changes in driving behaviour, as indicated by the surveys of 1977, 1979, 1985 and 1991, for overall estimates, rural road estimates, trends by age, and trends by time of week and day, respectively. Tables 8 to 10 show the accident decrease between 1983 and 1991 by age for urban and rural areas combined, rural areas, and urban areas. The strengthening of the legal limit and better enforcement have helped to stabilise the total occurrence of illegal alcoholisation on French roads.
Abstract