In 1985, at the request of the police, 259 consecutive, young (under 20 years of age) male drivers and a random sample of 186 adult drivers were examined at the department of forensic medicine, university of helsinki, for suspected driving while intoxicated (DWI) offences. At the medico-legal examination the drivers were interviewed about social background and drinking habits. The BACs were lower, the stage of inebriation more severe, heavy use of alcohol less common, and admitted problem drinking or elevated serum gamma glutamyl transferase (ggt) activities less common among young than adult drivers. The findings suggest that only a small proportion of young drivers have advanced alcohol problems and they could therefore be favourable subjects for treatment programmes. (A)
Samenvatting