Decline in drink driving and alcohol related fatal crashes in Australia

Abstract

In this paper, trends in road accident fatalities in Australia are presented in terms of both numbers and rates for the period from 1981 to 1992. The data for Australia as a whole in 1990 are then compared with similar data for certain other countries and for selected states and territories within Australia. Trends in fatalities by type of road user are also noted. Data for the past 11 years on the percentage of driver and rider fatalities with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit are then presented for Australia and for selected regions. Particular attention is paid to the state of South Australia because roadside breath alcohol survey data are available over the period from 1979 to 1993 for the Adelaide metropolitan area. Such trends that are apparent in the percentage of fatally injured drivers and motorcycle riders with a BAC above 0.08 in that area are compared with changes in the percentage of non-accident involved drivers above 0.08 over the same period and considered in relation to various interventions which were intended to modify drink driving behaviour. The paper concludes with a discussion of the likely importance of these interventions.