Drinking and driving: characteristics of drivers with positive breathalyzer

Authors

  • Valdir Ribeiro Campos Associação Brasileira Comunitária para Prevenção do Abuso de Drogas
  • Rogério Salgado Associação Brasileira Comunitária para Prevenção do Abuso de Drogas
  • Mariela Campos Rocha Associação Brasileira Comunitária para Prevenção do Abuso de Drogas
  • Sérgio Duailibi Universidade Federal de São Paulo; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas
  • Ronaldo Laranjeira Universidade Federal de São Paulo; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-60832012000500004

Keywords:

Consumption of alcoholic beverages, traffic accidents, toxicity tests, public policies, legislation

Abstract

CONTEXT: Drinking and driving has not been adequately studied in Brazil so far. OBJECTIVE: The present study presents data from the first survey on drinking and driving behavior in a Brazilian state. METHOD: One thousand seven hundred ninety-nine anonymous interviews were conducted with drivers at sobriety checkpoints in ten cities representing the ten geographic regions of the state of Minas Gerais. Of those drivers, 1,209 (67.2%) responded to a subsequent structured questionnaire and agreed to take a breathalyzer test. RESULTS: Twenty percent of the drivers were driving with blood alcohol levels over the legal limit. Logistic regression analysis, controlled by sex, was used to predict positive breathalyzer test. Drivers over the age of 31 years with an alcohol consumption frequency of at least 1-2 days per week, who were not using seat belts, showed an increased probability of positive breathalyzer test. DISCUSSION: Studies with a similar metho­dology conducted in sobriety checkpoints can monitor the behavior of drivers and risks in traffic, and direct public policy on drinking and driving.

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Published

2012-01-01

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 5 (2012)

Section

Original Articles

License

Once accepted for publication, the manuscript becomes permanent property of the Archives of Clinical Psychiatry. This copyright transfer subsumes exclusive and unlimited entitlement of the Archives of Clinical Psychiatry to publish and distribute the full contents of articles in whichever publishing medium, including press and electronic media, in Brazil and abroad.

Manuscripts are accepted with the understanding that the Editor and the editorial staff have the right to make revisions aimed at greater conciseness, clarity, and conformity with Journal style, of course without changing its content.

How to Cite

Drinking and driving: characteristics of drivers with positive breathalyzer. (2012). Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo), 39(5), 166-171. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-60832012000500004