Alcohol-related problems and fitness to drive.

This paper analyses the alcohol consumption patterns in Spanish drivers, the incidence of alcohol-related problems and attempts to ascertain whether, in the end, drivers with alcohol-related problems are considered fit or unfit to drive. In accordance with Spanish and European Union legislation, driving licences cannot be issued or renewed to people suffering from alcohol-related problems. A medical, psychological and eyesight evaluation was performed to test the driving fitness of 8043 drivers attending 25 Medical Driving Test Centres on a national scale. Among other things, information was collected on the patterns of alcohol consumption, the AUDIT and CAGE tests, the incidence of alcohol-related problems (DSM-IV criteria for abuse, dependence and alcohol-induced disorder), as well as an evaluation of their fitness to drive. In all, 60.3% of drivers drink alcohol on a regular basis; 7.3% of drivers scored > or = 8 points in the AUDIT test, and 2% met criteria for DSM-IV alcohol abuse, dependence or induced disorder. Drivers with alcohol-related problems have been involved in traffic accidents (23.2%) and have infringed driving regulations (18.7%) more frequently (P < 0.0001) than those without alcohol-related problems. Of those with alcohol-related problems, 72.2% were considered fit to drive. The study reveals that alcohol consumption is common among drivers, that a significant number of drivers have alcohol-related problems, and that three in four of the latter were considered fit to drive.

[1]  J. Havard.  Alcohol and the driver. , 1978, British medical journal.

[2]  O. Aasland,et al.  Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol Consumption--II. , 1993, Addiction.

[3]  A. Eagger.  Rehabilitation , 1960 .

[4]  M. C. Del Río,et al.  Alcohol and driving. , 1996, Lancet.

[5]  Federico Alvarez,et al.  PATTERNS OF, AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS, DRINKING ALCOHOL AND DRIVING AMONG SPANISH DRIVERS , 1993 .

[6]  Angus S. McDonald,et al.  Psychiatric disorders and accidental injury , 1996 .

[7]  J. A. Waller.  Chronic medical conditions and traffic safety: review of the California experience. , 1965, The New England journal of medicine.

[8]  D. Beirness.  DO WE REALLY DRIVE AS WE LIVE? THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY FACTORS IN ROAD CRASHES , 1993 .

[9]  H. Kranzler,et al.  The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): validation of a screening instrument for use in medical settings. , 1995, Journal of studies on alcohol.

[10]  P. Dischinger,et al.  Psychoactive substance dependence among trauma center patients. , 1992, JAMA.

[11]  M. Linnoila,et al.  Impairment in driving and psychiatric illness. , 1993, The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences.

[12]  A. G. Solé,et al.  Test para la identificación de transtornos por uso de alcohol (AUDIT): Traducción y validación del AUDIT al catalán y castellano , 1999 .

[13]  J. Endicott,et al.  The validity of DSM-IV alcohol abuse: drunk drivers versus all others. , 1999, Journal of studies on alcohol.

[14]  J M Cundy,et al.  Medical aspects of fitness to drive , 1979, Anaesthesia.

[15]  M. Sánchez-Serrano,et al.  Validation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in primary care , 1998 .

[16]  W. Norwood East,et al.  Alcohol and Driving , 1951, Journal of the Philippine Federation of Private Medical Practitioners.

[17]  M. C. Del Río,et al.  Screening for problem drinkers in a general population survey in Spain by use of the CAGE scale. , 1994, Journal of studies on alcohol.

[18]  M. Mattila,et al.  ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND DRIVING , 1976 .

[19]  R Wittink,et al.  The attitude and behaviour of European car drivers to road safety: SARTRE 2 reports, part 1: report on principal results , 1998 .

[20]  M K Janke,et al.  Assessing medically impaired older drivers in a licensing agency setting. , 1998, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[21]  F J Alvarez,et al.  Drinking and driving in Spain. , 1995, Journal of studies on alcohol.

[22]  M. C. Del Río,et al.  Alcohol use among fatally injured drivers in Spain. , 1999, Forensic science international.

[23]  D. Hasin,et al.  DSM-IV alcohol abuse: investigation in a sample of at-risk drinkers in the community. , 1999, Journal of studies on alcohol.

[24]  J. A. Waller,et al.  Alcoholism and traffic deaths. , 1966, The New England journal of medicine.

[25]  M. Patetta,et al.  The risk of dying in alcohol-related automobile crashes among habitual drunk drivers. , 1995, The New England journal of medicine.

[26]  Maristela Monteiro,et al.  AUDIT - The alcohol use disorders identification test: guidelines for use in primary care. , 2001 .