Alcoholism and traffic fatalities : study in futility.

Of 72 drivers responsible for fatal accidents 40 per cent were alcoholics, 10 per cent were pre-alcoholic, and 50 per cent were non-alcoholic and 64 per cent /46 drivers of the 72 tested/ were known to have been drinking prior to the fatal accident. Many of the 29 alcoholic drivers had a long history of serious psychopathology. They were frequently paranoid, violent, depressed and suicidal. However, a lower number of the non-alcoholic drivers also displayed psychopathic tendencies. Records revealed that 45 per cent of the alcoholics had at least one prior arrest for drunk driving and three had had their licenses revoked. The alcoholic drivers were responsible for significantly more prior serious accidents and moving traffic violations than the non-alcoholic drivers. This study demonstrates that an identifiable group of alcoholic drivers were responsible for approximately one-half of the fatal accidents. A large proportion of the non-alcoholic drivers were in the 16-21 age group /29 per cent/ and the largest was that of the alcoholics /41 per cent, 22-30 years