Alcohol in driving-related motor vehicle fatalities in Ontario between 2002 and 2005

A review of alcohol involvement in motor vehicle-related fatalities in the province of Ontario is described. This study reports blood alcohol concentrations in 2247 deceased individuals (1939 drivers, 264 pedestrians, and 44 cyclists) submitted to the Center of Forensic Sciences between 2002 and 2005. The majority of cases involved males (n = 1745, 77.9%). The mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of alcohol-positive drivers was 175 +/- 84 mg/100 mL (range 10-481 mg/100 mL). Eighty percent of alcohol-positive drivers had a BAC that was at, or in excess of, Canadian per se limit. Alcohol was not detected in the majority of deceased drivers (n = 1308, 68.2%), pedestrians (n = 195, 73.9%) and cyclists (n = 33, 75%). Nevertheless, alcohol is a factor in fatal motor vehicle collisions for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike. The mean BAC for alcohol-positive pedestrians was 204 +/- 98 mg/100 mL (range: 23-402 mg/100 mL) and 147 +/- 101 mg/100 mL (range: 18-306 mg/100 mL) for alcohol-positive cyclists. Alcohol was disproportionately present in drivers under 50 years of age, single MVC drivers and in recreational vehicle drivers in the alcohol positive group. As compared with previously published Ontario studies, the mean BACs may be similar but the incidence of alcohol detection in fatal motor vehicle collision drivers has decreased.