The present study investigated the patterns of and attitudes towards drinking alcohol and driving by Spanish drivers. 675 properly completed questionnaires were received from drivers attending three medical traffic centres in Valladolid (Spain) for medical examinationprior to obtaining or renewing their driving licence in 1990. Amongthose surveyed, 24% were "daily" drinkers and 56.7% were "weekly" drinkers. The majority of those "weekly" drinkers were light drinkers(1-39 g/day of pure alcohol, 37.3%). Surveyed drivers who take alcohol said that they think that they are affected by drink when they drive, by a 19.8% after drinking "two beers or glasses of wine", and by a 52.7% after drinking "two long drinks", and quite frequently stated that they had ever driven under the influence of alcohol. Most of the drivers surveyed recognized the great influence of alcohol asa causative factor in road accidents. The study indicates widespread consumption of alcohol by Spanish drivers and the need to improve alcohol-related educational programmes among Spanish drivers. (A).
Abstract