The prevalence of heavy and problem drinkers was studied in several groups of drunken drivers arrested during normal police work in 1985, i.e. adult men (over 20 years: 183), young men (under 20 years: 259), professional men (146), women (110), and boaters (104), as well as drinking drivers picked up at road blocks where every driver was submitted to a breath test (BAC greater than 0.50 o/oo: 188; and BAC less than 0.50 o/oo: 297). On the basis of their serum gamma glutamyl - transferase (GGT) activity, self-reported consumption of alcohol and recidivism it can be concluded that: 1) at least one third of the arrested drunken adult male drivers were heavy drinkers, and their proportion increased significantly from 1979 to 1985; 2) these drivers were heavy drinkers twice as often as women or young drivers; and 3) many problem drinkers tend to be arrested as a result of random breath testing rather than during normal police work. (A)
Samenvatting