Title: IMPROVING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION BAC TESTING AND REPORTING IN TEXAS
1IMPROVING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION (BAC)
TESTING AND REPORTING IN TEXAS
- Becky T. Davies
- Center for Transportation Safety
- Texas Transportation Institute
2Texas Traffic Fatalities in 2000(Traffic Safety
Facts, NHTSA)
3Two Sources of Informationon Alcohol-Related
Crashes
- Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Accident
Database - (Most current data 2000)
- Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
Database - (Most current data 2002)
4DWI-Related Fatalities in Texas (DPS Estimate
vs. FARS Estimate 2000)
2200
2000
1800
1,884 fatalities
1600
1400
(50)
1200
1000
1,047 fatalities
800
600
(28)
400
200
0
FARS Data
DPS Data
Police Reported Alcohol
Estimate Based on Crash and Driver
as a Contributing Factor
Factors (e.g., time of day, driver age)
5- The rate of reporting BACs for fatally injured
drivers has dropped from 62 in 1991 to 33 in
2001. - The rate of reporting BACs for drivers who
survived a fatal crash has dropped from 29 in
1991 to 15 in 2001.
6- Reliable Information Regarding Driver BACs is
Important for - - formulating public policy
- - initiating legislative reform
- - allocating funds for DWI enforcement
- - evaluating the effectiveness of DWI
countermeasures
7Drivers Killed in Fatal Crashes BAC Reported by
County(FARS 2001)
8Surviving Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes BAC
Reported by County(FARS 2001)
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10Texas Insurance Code Chapter 3 - Life, Health
and Accident Insurance. Art. 3.70 3. Accident
and Sickness Policy Provisions. (B) Other
Provisions. Intoxicants and Narcotics The
insurer shall not be liable for any loss
sustained or contracted in consequence of the
insureds being intoxicated or under the
influence of any narcotic unless administered on
the advice of a physician.
11Injured Drunk Drivers are Frequently Protected
from Prosecution
- Injured drivers admitted to Brackenridge Hospital
over 2-year period - 251 injured drivers had a BAC .10
- Only 16 (42 of the 251 injured intoxicated
drivers) were charged with DWI - The cost of medical care for the 251 injured
intoxicated drivers was 6.3 million (?18,533
each) -
- Criddle, L.M., Carson, B. (1998). The injured
drunk driver in central Texas Incidence,
demographics, and legal ramifications. Journal
of Emergency Nursing, 24, 309-315.
12Do you think that drunk driving in Texas is a
bigger problem than in other states? 31 is
about the same as it is in other states? 64 is
less of a problem than it is in other states?
3 is not much of a problem? 1 Source
DMV Driver Survey (Summer 2003)
13Texas vs. California FHWA Estimates for 2000
39
58
14Texas vs. California (FARS Estimates 2000)
37
(N 1,061)
(N 1,450)
15Texas vs. California (FARS and FHWA Estimates
2000)
68
54
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