BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS

128 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN NEW ZEALAND 213

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS 129 CONTENTS TABLES Table 1 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by age group 131 Table 2 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by time of day 132 Table 3 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by day of week 133 Table 4 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by month 134 Table 5 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by type of crash 135 Table 6 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by type of vehicle 136 Table 7 Blood alcohol for fatally injured drivers hisrical 137 FIGURES Figure 1 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers 13 Figure 2 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by age group 131 Figure 3 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by hour of day 132 Figure 4 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by day of week 133 Figure 5 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by month 134 Figure 6 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by crash type 135 Figure 7 Blood alcohol levels of fatally injured drivers by vehicle type 136 Figure 8 Number of drivers, number tested for alcohol and percent tested for alcohol 137 Figure 9 Number of dead drivers who had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit 138 Figure 1 Percent of dead drivers who had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit 138

13 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN NEW ZEALAND 213 NOTES 1. The data in this section are derived by matching the Ministry of Transport s Traffic Crash Reports with blood alcohol measurements taken as part of post mortem examinations for deceased drivers. 2. In cases where the driver dies at some time after the crash, the blood alcohol level measured in a post mortem examination may be different that present at the time of the crash. SUMMARY 1. Of the 164 drivers/riders who died in road crashes in 213, 138 (84 percent) were given a blood test detect the presence of alcohol. 2. Thirty five drivers had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit. That is, 25 percent of those tested and at least 21 percent of the tal number of dead drivers were above the legal limit. 3. A number of those not tested may also have had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit, so the percentage of dead drivers who were above the legal limit is likely be higher than 21 percent. An estimate of the number of untested drivers who may have been above the legal limit can be made by assuming that the alcohol involvement rate for untested drivers with alcohol suspected is the same as that for the tested drivers with alcohol suspected, and similarly for drivers with alcohol not suspected. For 213 this estimate gives a further six drivers likely be above the legal limit. Hence, based on the above assumptions, and the available data, a likely estimate is that about 23 percent of all dead drivers were above the legal blood alcohol limit. FIGURE 1: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 3 2 Blood alcohol levels are available for 84% of the 164 drivers killed in road crashes. 99 drivers had a BAC of 3mg/1ml or less. 1 31-5 5 51-8 81-1 4 11-12 121-15 8 8 151-2 12 21-25 251-3 1 1 31-35 35+ Blood Alcohol (mg / 1ml of blood)

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS 131 TABLE 1: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY AGE GROUP YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 Blood alcohol levels (1) Age group No value 3 31 5 51 8 81 1 11 12 121 15 151 2 21 25 251 3 31 35 Over 35 Total 15 19 1 6-1 - 1 3 2 - - - - 14 2 24 1 15-1 - 2-3 3 - - - 25 25 29-6 - 1 - - 1 1 2 - - - 11 3 34 1 7 - - - - - - - - - - 8 35 39-5 - 1-1 3-1 1 - - 12 4 44 1 8-1 - - - - 1-1 - 12 45 49 2 6 - - - - - - 1 - - - 9 5 54 2 13 - - - - 1-3 - - - 19 55 59 1 9 - - - - - 2 - - - - 12 6 and over 17 24 - - - - - - 1 - - - 42 Unknown age - - - - - - - - - - - - - Total 26 99-5 - 4 8 8 12 1 1-164 NOTE: (1) In milligrams of alcohol per 1 millilitres of blood. FIGURE 2: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY AGE GROUP 5 4 3 2 No value Under legal limit Over legal limit 1 15-19 2-24 25-29 3-34 35-39 Age 4-44 45-49 5-54 55-59 6+

132 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN NEW ZEALAND 213 TABLE 2: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY TIME OF DAY YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 Blood alcohol levels (1) Time of day No value 3 31 5 51 8 81 1 Midnight 12.59am - 3-1 - - - - 1 - - - 5 1am 1.59am - 2 - - - 2 1 - - - - - 5 2am 2.59am - - - - - - - 1 - - - - 1 3am 3.59am - - - - - - - - 1 - - - 1 4am 4.59am - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - 2 5am 5.59am - 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - 2 6am 6.59am 3 4 - - - - - - - - - - 7 7am 7.59am - 6 - - - - - - - - - - 6 8am 8.59am - 2 - - - - - 1 - - - - 3 9am 9.59am 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - 3 1am 1.59am 4 2 - - - - - - - - - - 6 11am 11.59am 3 7 - - - - - 1 - - - - 11 noon 12.59am 2 9 - - - - - - - - - - 11 1pm 1.59pm 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - 11 2pm 2.59pm 3 1 - - - - - - - - - - 13 3pm 3.59pm 1 11 - - - 1-1 1 - - - 15 4pm 4.59pm 4 1 - - - - - - - - - - 14 5pm 5.59pm 2 4 - - - - 2-1 - 1-1 6pm 6.59pm 1 5-1 - - - - - - - - 7 7pm 7.59pm - 3 - - - - - - - - - - 3 8pm 8.59pm - 2 - - - - - - 2 - - - 4 9pm 9.59pm 1 3-1 - - 2 1 1 - - - 9 1pm 1.59pm - 3-1 - - 1 - - - - - 5 11pm 11.59pm - - - 1-1 2 2 3 1 - - 1 Total 26 99-5 - 4 8 8 12 1 1-164 11 12 121 15 151 2 21 25 251 3 31 35 Over 35 Total NOTE: (1) In milligrams of alcohol per 1 millilitres of blood. FIGURE 3: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY HOUR OF DAY 2 15 1 No value Under legal limit Over legal limit 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2 21 22 23 Hour of day

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS 133 TABLE 3: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY DAY OF WEEK YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 Blood alcohol levels (1) Day of week No value 3 31 5 51 8 81 1 11 12 121 15 151 2 21 25 251 3 31 35 Over 35 Total Monday 5 22 - - - - - - 1 - - - 28 Tuesday 4 13-1 - - 1-2 - - - 21 Wednesday 5 14-1 - - 1 1 - - - - 22 Thursday 6 13 - - - - - 3 1 1 - - 24 Friday 2 15 - - - - - 1 1 - - - 19 Saturday 3 14-3 - 3 4 1 4-1 - 33 Sunday 1 8 - - - 1 2 2 3 - - - 17 Total 26 99-5 - 4 8 8 12 1 1-164 NOTE: (1) In milligrams of alcohol per 1 millilitres of blood. FIGURE 4: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY DAY OF WEEK 6 5 4 3 2 No value Under legal limit Over legal limit 1 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Day of week

134 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN NEW ZEALAND 213 TABLE 4: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY MONTH YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 Blood alcohol levels (1) Month No value 3 31 5 51 8 81 1 11 12 121 15 151 2 21 25 251 3 31 35 Over 35 Total January 2 7 - - - - 1 2 1 - - - 13 February 4 8-2 - - 1 - - - - - 15 March - 5 - - - 1 2-2 - - - 1 April 4 6 - - - - - 1 - - - - 11 May - 1-3 - - - - 1 - - - 14 June 1 7 - - - 1 1-2 - - - 12 July 3 9 - - - - 1 - - - - - 13 August 3 9 - - - - 2-3 - - - 17 September 2 5 - - - - - 1 1 - - - 9 Ocber 4 8 - - - - - 3 1 1 - - 17 November 1 16 - - - 2 - - - - 1-2 December 2 9 - - - - - 1 1 - - - 13 Total 26 99-5 - 4 8 8 12 1 1-164 NOTE: (1) In milligrams of alcohol per 1 millilitres of blood. FIGURE 5: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY MONTH 3 2 1 No value Under legal limit Over legal limit Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS 135 TABLE 5: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY TYPE OF CRASH YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 Blood alcohol levels (1) Crash type No value 3 31 5 51 8 81 1 11 12 121 15 151 2 21 25 251 3 31 35 Over 35 Total Overtaking 1 4 - - - 1 1 1 - - - - 8 Head-on collision 5 43-2 - - 1-3 - - - 54 Lost control straight - 11-1 - 2 2 1 1 - - - 18 Lost control cornering 8 2-2 - 1 3 6 7 1 1-49 Collision obstruction 1 1 - - - - 1 - - - - - 3 Rear end collision - - - - - - - - - - - - - Turning vehicle same direction - 3 - - - - - - 1 - - - 4 Crossing vehicle not turning 3 4 - - - - - - - - - - 7 Crossing vehicle turning 3 5 - - - - - - - - - - 8 Merging traffic 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Right turn against 1 3 - - - - - - - - - - 4 Manoeuvring 2 4 - - - - - - - - - - 6 Miscellaneous 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - 2 Total 26 99-5 - 4 8 8 12 1 1-164 NOTE: (1) In milligrams of alcohol per 1 millilitres of blood. FIGURE 6: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY CRASH TYPE Overtaking Head-on collision Lost control straight Lost control cornering Collision Obstruction Rear-end collision Turning v same direction Over legal limit Under legal limit No value Crossing vehicle not turning Crossing vehicle turning Merging traffic Right turn against Manoeuvring Miscellaneous 2 4 6 8

136 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN NEW ZEALAND 213 TABLE 6: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY TYPE OF VEHICLE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 213 Blood alcohol levels (1) Vehicle type No value 3 31 5 51 8 81 1 11 12 121 15 151 2 21 25 251 3 31 35 Over 35 Total Car 13 53-3 - 3 7 5 8 1 - - 93 Morcycle 8 25-1 - - 1 2 1 - - - 38 Van (2) 5 16-1 - 1-1 3-1 - 28 Truck - 5 - - - - - - - - - - 5 Other - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26 99-5 - 4 8 8 12 1 1-164 NOTE: (1) In milligrams of alcohol per 1 millilitres of blood. (2) SUVs are included as vans. FIGURE 7: BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS BY VEHICLE TYPE Car Morcycle Van Over legal limit Under legal limit No value Truck Other 5 1 15

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS 137 TABLE 7: BLOOD ALCOHOL FOR FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS HISTORICAL Adjusted for non-testing# Year Number of killed drivers Number tested Percent tested Number over legal limit Percent of drivers over legal limit Percentage of those tested over the limit Best estimate of number over the limit Best estimate of percent over the limit (A) (B) (C) (C/A) (C/B) 1987 438 325 74% 151 35% 47% 185 42% 1988 395 282 71% 122 31% 43% 156 4% 1989 413 292 71% 135 31% 44% 162 39% 199 374 277 74% 137 37% 5% 172 46% 1991 342 24 7% 18 32% 45% 138 4% 1992 361 24 67% 98 27% 41% 129 36% 1993 333 233 7% 88 26% 38% 16 32% 1994 333 252 76% 15 32% 42% 127 38% 1995 314 237 76% 78 25% 33% 93 3% 1996 283 21 71% 66 23% 33% 84 3% 1997 34 218 72% 46 15% 21% 63 21% 1998 271 183 68% 56 21% 31% 74 27% 1999 293 215 73% 5 17% 23% 61 21% 2 273 179 66% 55 2% 31% 58 21% 21 267 24 76% 44 17% 22% 55 21% 22 246 198 81% 52 21% 26% 6 24% 23 262 191 73% 59 23% 31% 7 27% 24 255 197 77% 57 22% 29% 69 27% 25 237 171 72% 45 19% 26% 58 25% 26 225 174 77% 46 2% 26% 54 24% 27 241 196 81% 56 23% 29% 65 27% 28 211 171 81% 53 25% 31% 59 28% 29 238 191 8% 57 24% 3% 66 28% 21 227 181 8% 59 26% 33% 68 3% 211 184 143 78% 44 24% 31% 48 26% 212 183 128 7% 35 19% 27% 49 27% 213 164 138 84% 35 21% 25% 38 23% NOTE: # This gives the best estimate of the number and percentage of all killed drivers likely have a blood alcohol level over the legal limit after adjusting for the 2 percent or so of drivers that are not tested. See Note 3 in the summary for more detail. FIGURE 8: NUMBER OF DRIVERS, NUMBER TESTED FOR ALCOHOL AND PERCENT TESTED FOR ALCOHOL Percent 1% Number 5 8% 6% 4% 2% 4 3 2 1 Percent tested Number of killed drivers Number tested 1987 1988 1989 199 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 21 Year 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 21 211 212 213 %

138 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN NEW ZEALAND 212 FIGURE 9: NUMBER OF DEAD DRIVERS WHO HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL ABOVE THE LEGAL LIMIT 2 Dead 15 1 5 1987 1988 1989 199 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 24 25 26 27 28 29 21 211 212 213 Best estimate of tal number over limit (1) Number tested and over limit 2 21 22 23 Year FIGURE 1: PERCENT OF DEAD DRIVERS WHO HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL ABOVE THE LEGAL LIMIT 6% 5% Percent 4% 3% 2% Percent of tested drivers over limit Best estimate (1) 24 25 26 27 28 29 21 211 212 213 1% Percent of all dead drivers over limit % 1987 1988 1989 199 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 21 22 23 Year NOTE: (1). After adjusting for those drivers who were not tested but may have been over the limit. See Note 3 in the summary for more detail.