Drunken State in Fatally Injured Drivers of Motor Vehicles

Introduction Consumption of alcohol may be an important causative factor in traffic accidents, particularly in categories of drivers and pedestrians. Objective Analysis of frequency and other important medicolegal characteristics of drunken state of motor vehicles drivers. Methods We analyzed autopsies performed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine Belgrade during 2008 and 2009. Data were obtained from autopsy protocols, results of toxicological examinations, and police reports about circumstances of traffic accidents. Results Out of all 84 fatally injured drivers, drunken state was proved in 31 (36.9%). The majority of them were males (30% or 97%), while only one female driver was under the influence of alcohol. The most often drunken drivers were in the third life decade (10% or 32.2%). In most cases the injured alcoholised drivers died immediately after the accident (83.8%). In most of them blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was higher than 2 parts per thousand (58.1%), most frequently (12) BAC varied between 2.1 parts per thousand and 2.5 parts per thousand, and the highest determined-BAC was 3.85 parts per thousand. The majority of accidents occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. (54.8%), mostly during working days (77.4%). The most frequent ways of the occurrence of traffic accidents were driving by turning away from the road and striking from behind another vehicle on the road. Conclusion The obtained results point out the important role of the drunken state of the drivers of motor vehicles as a causative factor in traffic accidents in our population.The potentially effective preventive measure could be absolute prohibition of alcohol consumption for all drivers.