Alcohol Problems among Swedish Drunk Drivers: Differences Related to Mode of Detection and Geographical Region

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the prevalence of alcohol problems in a representative sample of Swedish drivers suspected of drunk driving in comparison with control drivers and the general Swedish population in relation to mode and time of detection. Is the time of day or night or the detection mode important for the prevalence of alcohol problems and which are the best predictors for identifying alcohol problems among DUI offenders?

Methods. Two thousand and one hundred drivers (169 females) suspected of DUI offence during 1997–2001 who agreed to respond to the AUDIT questionnaire (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and 785 control drivers (266 females) not suspected of DUI recruited at general traffic controls were investigated.

Results. Both mode and time of detection were found to be important. The greatest impact on the prevalence of alcohol problems emanated from the predictors in the following order: high BAC; unlicensed driving; detection hours between 12.00 and 18.00, and age under 26 years. Age over 55 years and detection in general traffic controls were the two strongest factors negatively correlated to alcohol problems prevalence. The differences between regions with regard to alcohol problems incidence could only partly be explained by police routines and resources.

Conclusions. Mode and time of detection affect the prevalence of DUI offenders with alcohol problems, and to a lesser degree also BAC level. Both the detection mode and the time of detection are significant for the proportion of identified DUIs with alcohol problems. Because the majority of committed DUI offenses are never identified, it is important to optimize the detection strategies of the police with the purpose of minimizing public damage and expenses.

Keywords:

• Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
• Blood Alcohol Concentration
• Driving Under Influence
• Drunk Drivers
• Screening for Alcohol Problems among DUIs

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank all cooperating police officers whose efforts were of the utmost value for the project. The study was supported by a grant from the Swedish Road Administration, (Vägverket).

Notes

*Significant differences.