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Alcohol and Alcoholism Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 256-261, 2001
© 2001 Medical Council on Alcoholism

Alcohol-related problems and fitness to drive

M. Carmen del Rio, Juan Carlos Gonzalez-Luque1, and F. Javier Alvarez*,

Drugs and Alcohol Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid and
1 National Traffic Agency, Josefa Valcarcel 28, 28027 Madrid, Spain

Received 10 July 2000; first review notified 24 October 2000; accepted 23 December 2000

This paper analyses the alcohol consumption patterns in Spanish drivers, the incidence of alcohol-related problems and attempts to ascertain whether, in the end, drivers with alcohol-related problems are considered fit or unfit to drive. In accordance with Spanish and European Union legislation, driving licences cannot be issued or renewed to people suffering from alcohol-related problems. A medical, psychological and eyesight evaluation was performed to test the driving fitness of 8043 drivers attending 25 Medical Driving Test Centres on a national scale. Among other things, information was collected on the patterns of alcohol consumption, the AUDIT and CAGE tests, the incidence of alcohol-related problems (DSM-IV criteria for abuse, dependence and alcohol-induced disorder), as well as an evaluation of their fitness to drive. In all, 60.3% of drivers drink alcohol on a regular basis; 7.3% of drivers scored >=8 points in the AUDIT test, and 2% met criteria for DSM-IV alcohol abuse, dependence or induced disorder. Drivers with alcohol-related problems have been involved in traffic accidents (23.2%) and have infringed driving regulations (18.7%) more frequently (P < 0.0001) than those without alcohol-related problems. Of those with alcohol-related problems, 72.2% were considered fit to drive. The study reveals that alcohol consumption is common among drivers, that a significant number of drivers have alcohol-related problems, and that three in four of the latter were considered fit to drive.


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