The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The majority of Canadian drivers believe that drinking and driving is a priority social issue and the most serious road safety issue they face, yet nearly one in five (18%) admit to driving after drinking in the previous month, according to the findings of the Road Safety Monitor (RSM) released by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF). In a national survey of more than 1,200 drivers, TIRF found that drinking and driving is perceived as a leading social issue by the vast majority (81%) of Canadians, who expressed greater concern over this problem than issues such as the state of the health care system, airline safety or the threat of terrorism. Nonetheless, the survey estimates that 3.9 million Canadians continue to drive after drinking. The survey also found that the public is deeply concerned about teenagers drinking and driving, even though young drivers are less likely than older drivers to engage in this behaviour. The survey showed that while fewer than 12 per cent of teenage drivers report having driven within two hours of consuming alcohol in the previous month, more than twice as many (27.8 per cent) drivers in the 25-34 age category report having done so. "Statistics show that alcohol is involved in crashes involving teens much less often than in collisions involving older drivers," says Dr. Doug Beirness, Vice President of Research, TIRF. "Consistent with this, teenage drivers account for only five per cent of all impaired driving trips, less than any age group." Dr. Beirness says that, although alcohol remains a leading contributor to road crashes involving young drivers, progress is being made through programs and policies aimed at reducing impaired driving. Other findings: When asked about countermeasures to reduce impaired driving, the vast majority (84%) support restricting convicted offenders to a zero blood alcohol concentration (BAC), followed closely by physical coordination tests for drivers suspected of being impaired (83%). Alcohol ignition interlocks for convicted drivers, mandatory blood or breath tests for drivers involved in collisions, and immediate impoundment of drinking drivers' vehicles were supported by more than 75% of respondents. Police spot checks, a familiar sight on the roads during the holiday season, received the lowest level of support at 66%. This suggests that Canadian drivers express greater support for countermeasures targeted towards those who are suspected of, arrested for, or convicted of an impaired driving offence, than for those that could affect all drivers. For a complete copy of the RSM, please visit www.trafficinjuryresearch.com.
