Naslov
TRENDS IN TRAFFIC DEATHS BEFORE AND AFTER THE PASSING OF THE NON-ALCOHOL LAW IN CROATIA IN 2004

Autori
Missoni, Eduard ; Missoni, Ivan

Izvornik
Actual problems of transport medicine (1818-9385) 29 (2012), 3; 30-37

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, ostalo

Ključne riječi
alcohol use; drinking and driving; road traffic accidents; law; mortality; epidemiology

Sažetak
SUMMARY In this research the data have been presented about the injured traffic participants, and the share of participants under the influence of alcohol in the Republic of Croatia has been analysed through a four-year period, before and after passing of the New Road Traffic Safety Act on 20 August 2004. The data were collected from the police reports of the Traffic Police Department, Ministry of the Interior, written at the place of the accident. The data were processed by descriptive epidemiology. The aim is to gather data as the basis to formulate theory- and research-based recommendations to policy makers with the intention of decreasing the number of alcohol-related accidents and victims on the Croatian roads. Results: In the first six months of 2005, after passing of the New Traffic Act, there were 3, 275 accidents caused by the motorists under the influence of alcohol (12.5% of all the accidents), with 64 killed persons. Only 5 fatalities (8%) were caused by the drivers with measured up to 0.5‰. Even 27 fatalities (42%) were caused by the drivers with measured more than 1.5‰. Most of the fatalities, 32 (50%) were caused by the drivers with measured 0.5 – 1.5‰. In this period somewhat more than 451, 000 violations were recorded, and in the same period of the previous year, in 2004, about 519, 000 were recorded. A reduction of the total number of accidents is the result of the new regulation provision, according to which the incidents without human victims do not have to be reported to the police. The number of traffic accidents caused by the drivers under the influence of alcohol has increased by some dozen per cents, namely: 2005 - 6, 219 persons, 2006 – 6, 590 persons, but in 2006 one person fewer was killed – i.e. 123 persons. In 2005 drivers with alcohol concentration of 0-0.5‰ caused 1, 096 accidents, with 14 fatalities, whereas in 2006 there were 1, 164 accidents with 9 fatalities. There were 2, 314 accidents caused by the drivers with more than 0.5‰ and up to 1.5‰ in 2005 (in 2006 – 2, 582), and there were 53 fatalities (1 fewer than in 2006). The drivers with more than 1.5‰ participated in 2, 809 accidents (2006 – 2, 844), with 57 drivers killed, three fewer than in 2006. Conclusion Alcohol use remains a significant factor in road traffic accidents and is an important area for injury prevention efforts.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

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