CANADA - BREATHALIZER LEGISLATION - AN INFERENTIAL EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 27403
• Author(s): B R CARR; H GOLDBERG; C M L FARBAR
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 120 pages
• Corporate Author: Canada Ministry of Transport
• Sale Source: Information Canada
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

THIS REPORT ATTEMPTS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 1969 CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT ACT IN DECREASING SERIOUS ROAD ACCIDENTS INVOLVING ALCOHOL.

Abstract

THIS LEGISLATION MADE IT MANDATORY FOR DRIVERS TO TAKE A BREATH TEST WHEN REQUESTED BY A POLICE OFFICER ON REASONABLE GROUNDS. EVALUATION MEASURES INCLUDED DATA FROM A SERIES OF TELEPHONE SURVEYS OF PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE LEGISLATION, TREND ANALYSES OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AND FATAL ACCIDENT DATA, AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF THE LEGISLATION AND THE RESULTS OF THE ROAD SAFETY ACT OF 1967 IN GREAT BRITAIN. BASED ON STUDY RESULTS, EVALUATORS CONCLUDED THAT THE 'BREATHALIZER LEGISLATION' DID NOT HAVE A LARGE OR SUSTAINED EFFECT ON THE CANADIAN DRINKING DRIVING PROBLEM. THEY INDICATED THAT THE ONLY SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT THE BREATHALIZER LEGISLATION HAS HAD SOME POSITIVE EFFECT ON SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IN CANADA WAS THE DECREASE (6.3 PERCENT) IN FATAL ACCIDENTS FROM 1969 TO 1970. HOWEVER, THE 1970 REDUCTION IN FATALITIES IN CANADA WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CONCENTRATED AT NIGHT AND ON WEEKENDS AS WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED IF THE BREATHALIZER LEGISLATION HAD BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE CHANGE. AS WELL, FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS IN 1970 HAD VERY SIMILAR BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENTS COMPARED TO 1969, AGAIN INDICATING NO APPARENT REDUCTION IN THE INVOLVEMENT OF ALCOHOL IN SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. NO EFFECT OF THE BREATHALIZER LEGISLATION ON FATAL ACCIDENT TOTALS WAS APPARENT IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS OF 1971 AND 1972. GREAT BRITAIN, WITH SIMILAR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES IN 1967, EXPERIENCED A 14.5 PERCENT REDUCTION IN FATALITIES IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND STILL HAD A FATALITY LEVEL 5.7 PERCENT BELOW PRE-LEGISLATION LEVELS AFTER THREE YEARS. FURTHER ACTION PROGRAMS ARE RECOMMENDED. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE TREND ANALYSES CARRIED OUT IN THIS EVALUATION STUDY AND A DISCUSSION OF THE COLLECTION AND COMPLETENESS OF PROVINCIAL CORONER'S DATA ON FATAL ACCIDENTS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)