engleski

The role of alcohol in road traffic accidents with fatal outcome : ten-year period in Croatia Split-Dalmatia County

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and fatal road traffic accidents, which took place in Split-Dalmatian County (Croatia) during a ten-year period (from August 2001 to August 2011). For this purpose a retrospective analysis of 474 autopsy reports was performed, with an emphasis on 337 toxicologal findings of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the mode of participation in traffic (driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist). Relations between the BAC, the weekday on which death occurred, victim’s age and gender, and differences according to three successive legislation periods within the observed time frame were analyzed. The BAC was measured by gas chromatography with headspace and flame ionization detector (FID). Alcohol was regarded as a contributive death factor if BAC was positive, i.e.higher than 0.5 g/kg. BAC was positive in 177 cases. Most often it was the car driver that had a positive BAC. Victims of traffic accidents were mostly male drivers, and those accidents were more often associated with alcohol consumption. Consumption of alcohol produced a significant increase in culpability. The results of our study show that alcohol still remains one of the main contributing factors of traffic accidents in Split-Dalmatia County. Unfortunately, legislation changes regarding the allowed BAC, did not cause any reduction of casualties among drivers driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA). Chi-square test of the number of total driver victims and driver victims who were DUIA has revealed no significant difference (P = 0.173).

alcohol; BAC; DUI; toxicology; traffic

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