The determination of the empirically verified consumption of alcohol on the part of children and young people, but also just the basic documentation of the corresponding traffic accidents were substantiated by this study. Qualitative oral surveys of experts and young people, field surveys and quantitative written surveys of young people led to the following results: Approximately 65 % of the young people between the ages of 12 and 22 were mobile having consumed an excessive amount of alcohol at least once a month before they reached the age of 18. At an age of 15 years on average young people have not only had their first experience of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, but also the first frequent situations of travelling having consumed alcohol and this applies particularly young males. Although only approx. 5 % of those surveyed described a hazardous traffic situation that they had experienced as a 'genuine' traffic accident, approx. 27 % still referred to the fact that they had experienced a hazardous traffic situation when under the influence of alcohol at least once under the age of 18. Of the total of 349 dangerous traffic situations reported 113 resulted in slight injuries and 24 with severe injuries. Those who were not injured also referred to numerous hazards they had experienced when travelling under the influence of alcohol. Male young people in particular experience such situations at an age of 15.7 years on average. In more than half the hazardous traffic situations under the influence of alcohol the persons involved were travelling on their own. The children and young people who had consumed alcohol most commonly had accidents as cyclists or pedestrians. In approx. 40 % of the cases they received medical care, the police only obtains knowledge of around 20 % of these accidents caused by alcohol. The necessity of additional, differentiated surveys to verify the findings gained in an exploratory manner and substantiate appropriate preventive measures is emphasised. In terms of the content and in terms of the amount of work and expense involved we recommend interdepartmental cooperation with the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA). (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting