Medical perspectives on a blood alcohol level of 0.2mg/ml

Abstract

Road traffic accidents are a major public health problem in Europe, having caused over 43,000 deaths in 1998. In Portugal, they are the main cause of death in the 1-25 years age group. This country has the highest road traffic death rate in the European Union (EU), which is also one of the darker spots in Portuguese health according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the past 10 years (1990-1999), 10,614 teens and young adults in the 15-34 year age group died in road accidents, accounting for 33% of the total number of deaths. In the EU, 25-30% of dead drivers have excessive blood alcohol levels (BAL), whereas this figure is of about 40% in Portugal. Fighting driving under the influence is considered by the EU as a key priority for road traffic safety. In the EU, it has been estimated that at least 10,000 lives could be spared if driving under the effects of alcohol were eliminated. Taking this background into account, and for the sake of greater road traffic safety, the European Commission recommends that limits below 0.5 mg/ml be progressively implemented. This is also WHOs stance on the subject. Recent research has demonstrated that even low blood alcohol concentrations can impair the drivers capacities, thus increasing the risk of accidents. Several scientific studies have concluded that driving skills are already impaired for 0.1-0.2 mg/ml levels, and the risk of a fatal accident is double for 0.5 mg/ml in comparison with 0.2 mg/ml. In the USA, laws setting an allowed upper limit of BAL for drivers younger than 21 at 0.0 or 0.2 mg/ml are associated with a decline of 17-23% in road death rates. In Sweden, there was a decrease of 8% upon the lowering of the BAL from 0.5 mg/ml to 0.2 mg/ml. Twenty-three European countries, in addition to the USA, Japan and Australia, have therefore adopted legislation (at least for specific population groups) setting a limit lower than 0.5 mg/ml for the maximum blood alcohol level allowed to drivers.