Night-time driving: the use of seat-belts and alcohol

Abstract

The objective risks of accident involvement associated with night driving, seat-belt use and alcohol intoxication have been reported from many countries. However, much less is known about the risks associated with combinations of these activities, even though these are common. A brief review of the relevant literature suggests that young drivers and drinking drivers are less likely to wear seat-belts at night. The results of a night-time survey in the Netherlands support this finding, with the lowest rate of belt use, 21%, being for young drivers with blood alcohol levels in excess of the legal limit (0·50%). Thus those drivers who are most likely to become involved in a crash are least likely to protect themselves from injury. The implications of these findings for accident countermeasures are briefly outlined.

Keywords:

• Road safety
• Drinking drivers
• Seat-belt wearing
• Night driving.