Between September and December 1996, the SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research and 73 police control teams, conducted a roadside survey. The aim was to establish the motorists' alcohol consumption in all twelve Dutch provinces. The study was carried out on Friday and Saturday nights. The study represents a continuation of the nationwide studies into drink-driving habits which were carried out between 1970 and 1995. The 1996 sample includes 22,905 motorists. The 1996 study showed that the number of motorists with a blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit of 0.5 promille had slightly decreased: from 4.7% in 1995 to 4.4% in 1996. In 1996, the highest percentages of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) were found: (1) Saturday and Sunday morning between 2 and 4 a.m.; (2) amongst 35-49 year-old male drivers; (3) in municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants; and (4) in the provinces of North Holland, South Holland, and Utrecht.Of the group of heavy drinkers (with a BAC over 1.3 promille), 64% stated that they had come from a public drinking place. The scope and development of alcohol-related accidents in The Netherlands is also described.
Abstract