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High prevalence of drink‐driving in Thailand
Author(s) -
Chongsuvivatwong Virasakdi,
Ritsmitchai Skulrat,
Suriyawongpaisal Paibul,
Chariyalertsak Suwat,
Kosuwan Weerachai,
Punyaratabandhu Porapan,
Sutiwipakorn Wiwat
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/09595239996437
Subject(s) - environmental health , medicine , blood alcohol , driving under the influence , demography , poison control , injury prevention , sociology
This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 50 mg/dl and to identify predictors for such an outcome. A cross‐sectional study was conducted during March to August 1995 in eight provinces in Thailand. In each province, with the collaboration of the police, one checkpoint in a suburban area and one on a highway were used to collect data on drivers of 20 motorcycles, 20 4‐wheel and 20 6+‐wheel motor vehicles, during 1300‐1500h, 1700‐1900h and 2200‐2400h. For each subject, a breath test for alcohol was undertaken using standard breath testing instruments. Four thousand, six hundred and seventy‐five male drivers were tested. The crude prevalence of high BAC was 12.6% (range 4.5‐23.7%). The differences in prevalence between the suburban area (8.7%) and the highway (8.4%) and between drivers tested on weekdays (9.8%) and on holidays (7.5%) were not statistically significant. The crude prevalences were 3.4‐3.8% and 3.8‐3.9% at 1300‐1500h and 1700‐1900h, respectively. During 2200‐2400h the prevalence rose to 19.2%, 16.0% and 11.9% among the motorcyclists, the 4‐wheel vehicle drivers and the 6+‐wheel vehicle drivers, respectively. High BAC among Thai drivers in the study period was very common, especially at night. Efforts should be focused on these high‐risk groups and this time period.