The responsibility of alcohol-impaired road users in fatal road traffic accidents
Kuruc, R.; Sidlo, J.; Valent, D.; Mlynar, J.; Murarikova, B.
Bratislavske Lekarske Listy 110(12): 802-806
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-9248 PMID: 20196477 Accession: 056465700
The purpose of this paper was to identify the impact of intoxicated road users upon the degree of responsibility for fatal road traffic accidents. A total of 373 traffic fatalities was recorded. These cases represented 13.5% of all autopsied cases. Alcohol intoxication was determined in 35.9% of persons involved in road traffic accidents. The degree of responsibility of intoxicated persons was 87.3% of all cases, of non-intoxicated persons 56.7% of all cases. The average determined blood alcohol concentration was 1.91 g/kg. The degree of responsibility for fatal road traffic accidents was 1.5 times higher among intoxicated road users than among non-intoxicated road users. Alcohol is still the most abused psychoactive substance in Slovakia. The causes of its excessive consumption are the objectives of many larger studies. It is assumed that excessive alcohol consumption can be considerably attributed to its easy availability and lack of awareness and personal responsibility of road users (Tab. 4, Ref. 35).