On 29 November 1996, Ontario introduced an Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) law, which required that anyone charged with driving with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of 80 mg% or failing to provide a breath sample would have their licence suspended for a period of 90 days at the time the charge was laid. This study evaluates the effects of Ontario's ADLS law on total driver fatalities over a 25-month period after the law was introduced, and compares Ontario's experience with that of two comparison provinces (Manitoba and New Brunswick) that did not introduce ADLS at that time. Interrupted time series analysis with ARIMA modeling was applied to the monthly number of drivers killed in Ontario and the control provinces for the period 1 January 1988 to 31 December 1998. A significant intervention effect was found in Ontario, with ADLS being associated with an estimated reduction of 14.5% in the numbers of fatally injured drivers. No corresponding effect was observed in the control provinces. These data provide evidence that the law produced a general deterrent effect resulting in a reduction in total driver fatalities. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting