The number of people driving under the
influence of alcohol in the US dropped in 2017, according to the results of a
poll of more than 5,000 drivers. The
poll, conducted by The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), found that
the number of drink-drivers in 2017 was considerably lower than the previous
year. In 2016, the number of drivers who
admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol was the highest ever
collected from the survey, as was the number of alcohol-impaired driving
fatalities. The results of the
Anheuser-Busch sponsored study show that the number of fatalities as a result
of driving under the influence of alcohol rose between 2014 and 2016, from
9,943 to 10,497.
Dr Ward Vanlaar, chief operating officer
of TIRF in Canada and a co-author of the study, said: "When asking US
drivers why they drove when they thought they were over the legal alcohol
limit, our data consistently revealed the number one answer is that they
thought they were 'OK to drive'. "Other
top reasons include driving short distances, thinking they can drive carefully,
and simply not thinking about it. In other words, a lack of appreciation of the
dangers associated with this behavior."
The poll also revealed a smaller
percentage of drivers in 2017 thought they had no alternative to driving after
drinking, indicating that drivers are using alternatives such as ride sharing
apps and safe ride programs. Vanlaar
said: "While there is no perfect correlation between self-reported behavior
and its consequences, our early warning system suggests there might be a
decrease in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2017."
Read More at https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2017/12/number-of-drink-drivers-declining-in-us-poll-suggests/
