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A Prospective Study

Kimball I. Maull, MD; Linda S. Kinning, MBA; Julian K. Hickman

JAMA. 1984;252(14):1880-1883.

Abstract
During the three-year period ending October 1982, driver records, crash reports, and blood alcohol concentrations were correlated for 56 alcohol-impaired drivers injured seriously enough to warrant hospital admission. Blood alcohol concentration levels exceeded 0.15 vol% in all patients. Despite a high level of suspicion of alcohol involvement and assessment of culpability by the law enforcement officer at the scene, there were no convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) among this problem-drinker population. Injury seems to offer additional protection from enforcement of DUI statutes and, if the patient survives his injuries, allows the offender to resume driving without interdiction.

(JAMA 1984;252:1880-1883)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Surgery, the University of Tennessee Memorial Research Center and Hospital, Knoxville (Dr Maull): the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond (Ms Kinning); and the Department of Transportation Safety, Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond (Mr Hickman).

Footnotes
Reprint requests to the University of Tennessee Memorial Research Center and Hospital, 1924 Alcoa Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37920 (Dr Maull).

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