Drunk walking

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Drunk walking describes people intoxicated by alcohol walking in public spaces. While there are long-standing social stigmas and laws against drunk driving, only more recently have the personal and social dangers of drunk walking become apparent. One study on pedestrians struck by vehicles found that alcohol users were twice as likely to cross against the signal or outside of a crosswalk than sober pedestrians. [1] Alcohol use was also associated with more severe injuries and longer hospital stays (3.89 days vs. 1.82 days). [1]

Contents

Statistics

US

US department of transportation data from 2009 reported that 4,092 pedestrians were killed and 13.6% of them were under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication. [2] Pedestrian injury accounts for 11% of all road user fatalities. [ citation needed ] In the United States in 2006 there were 4,784 fatalities and 61,000 injuries from pedestrian injury. [ citation needed ] In 2007 there were 4,654 fatalities and 70,000 injuries. [ citation needed ]

Canada

In Canada, injury is the prominent source of death for those under 45 years of age and the fourth most collective reason of death for all ages. [ citation needed ] Traumatic pedestrian injury results in nearly 4,000 hospitalisations in Canada yearly. [ citation needed ] The outcome of these injuries come from the interaction of environmental factors changing. [3]

Australia

In 2011, the Pedestrian Council of Australia launched a campaign called "Never Let a Mate Walk Home Drunk", in an effort to curb the high number of pedestrians killed on Australian roads. 20% of pedestrians killed on Australian roads have a BAC exceeding 0.05%, [4] and 30% of those killed or seriously injured have a BAC over 0.08%. [5]

Between 2003–2006 in Adelaide there were 40 pedestrian fatalities, and of those 12 were found to be drunk. In three or four of these cases it was found that they were either lying or sitting on the ground at night. [6] In Australia, men are the biggest culprits with a study done between 1998–2002 with 38% of fatal incidents to pedestrians happening to males ages 15–54, and out of those 78% were over the legal limit to drive. [7]

Legality

Spain

In 2015 Spanish authorities proposed rules allowing police officers to issue breathalyzer tests to pedestrians involved in accidents. [8] As of 2023, pedestrians who refuse to be tested for alcohol can be fined up to €1,000. [9]

United States

Iowa

Being drunk or pretending to be drunk in a public place is a misdemeanor in the state of Iowa. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol intoxication</span> Behavioural and physical changes due to the consumption of alcohol

Alcohol intoxication, commonly described in higher doses as drunkenness or inebriation, and known in overdose as alcohol poisoning, is the behavior and physical effects caused by recent consumption of alcohol. The technical term intoxication in common speech may suggest that a large amount of alcohol has been consumed, leading to accompanying physical symptoms and deleterious health effects. Mild intoxication is mostly referred to by slang terms such as tipsy or buzzed. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main psychoactive component of alcoholic beverages, other physiological symptoms may arise from the activity of acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol. These effects may not arise until hours after ingestion and may contribute to a condition colloquially known as a hangover.

Drunk driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle with the operator's ability to do so impaired as a result of alcohol consumption, or with a blood alcohol level in excess of the legal limit. For drivers 21 years or older, driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher is illegal. For drivers under 21 years old, the legal limit is lower, with state limits ranging from 0.00 to 0.02. Lower BAC limits apply when operating boats, airplanes, or commercial vehicles. Among other names, the criminal offense of drunk driving may be called driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated or impaired (DWI), operating [a] vehicle under the influence of alcohol (OVI), or operating while impaired (OWI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedestrian</span> Person traveling on foot

A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. Pedestrians may also be wheelchair users or other disabled people who use mobility aids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive safety</span> Study and practice to minimize the occurrence and consequences of motor vehicle accidents

Automotive safety is the study and practice of automotive design, construction, equipment and regulation to minimize the occurrence and consequences of traffic collisions involving motor vehicles. Road traffic safety more broadly includes roadway design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road traffic safety</span> Methods and measures for reducing the risk of death and injury on roads

Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, and passengers of on-road public transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving under the influence</span> Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of an impairing substance

Driving under the influence (DUI) is the offense of driving, operating, or being in control of a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs, to a level that renders the driver incapable of operating a motor vehicle safely. Multiple other terms are used for the offense in various jurisdictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaywalking</span> Pedestrian crossing of a carriageway outside of a crosswalk

Jaywalking is the act of pedestrians walking in or crossing a roadway if that act contravenes traffic regulations. The term originated in the United States as a derivation of the phrase jay-drivers, people who drove horse-drawn carriages and automobiles on the wrong side of the road, before taking its current meaning. Jaywalking was coined as the automobile arrived in the street in the context of the conflict between pedestrian and automobiles, more specifically the nascent automobile industry.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mothers Against Drunk Driving</span> Nonprofit organization

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Random checkpoint</span> Temporary military or police roadblock

A random checkpoint is a military and police tactic. In a military context, checkpoints involve the setup of a hasty roadblock by mobile truck- or armored vehicle-mounted infantry to disrupt unauthorized or unwanted movement or military activity and to check for valid identification and search for contraband, fugitives, or weapons that are not permitted in civilian hands. Random checkpoints are set up to achieve surprise, as opposed to known permanently located checkpoints, which suspects could circumvent. They are often established in locations where they cannot be observed by approaching traffic until it is too late to withdraw and escape without being observed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving in the United States</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road collision types</span> Overview of the various types of road traffic collision

Road traffic collisions generally fall into one of five common types:

The laws of driving under the influence vary between countries. One difference is the acceptable limit of blood alcohol content before a person is charged with a crime. Thresholds range from the limit of detection (zero-tolerance) to 0.08%. Some countries have no limits or laws on blood alcohol content.

Cycling in Australia is a common form of transport, recreation and sport. Many Australians enjoy cycling because it improves their health and reduces road congestion and air pollution. The government has encouraged more people to start, with several state advertising campaigns aimed at increasing safety for those who choose to ride. There is a common perception that riding is a dangerous activity. While it is safer to walk, cycling is a safer method of transport than driving. Cycling is less popular in Australia than in Europe, however cyclists make up one in forty road deaths and one in seven serious injuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drunk driving</span> Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol

Drunk driving is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol-related traffic crashes in the United States</span>

Alcohol-related traffic crashes are defined by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as alcohol-related if either a driver or a non-motorist had a measurable or estimated BAC of 0.01 g/dl or above.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Field sobriety testing</span> Battery of tests used by police officers

Field sobriety tests (FSTs), also referred to as standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs), are a battery of tests used by police officers to determine if a person suspected of impaired driving is intoxicated with alcohol or other drugs. FSTs are primarily used in the United States, to meet "probable cause for arrest" requirements, necessary to sustain an alcohol-impaired driving conviction based on a chemical blood alcohol test.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road safety in Europe</span> Overview of road safety in Europe

Road safety in Europe encompasses transportation safety among road users in Europe, including automobile accidents, pedestrian or cycling accidents, motor-coach accidents, and other incidents occurring within the European Union or within the European region of the World Health Organization. Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured.

References

  1. 1 2 Dultz, Linda; et al. (November 2011). "Alcohol use by pedestrians who are struck by motor vehicles: how drinking influences behaviors, medical management, and outcomes". Journal of Trauma. 71 (5): 1252–1257. doi:10.1097/TA.0b013e3182327c94. PMID   22071927 . Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  2. ↑ "safety traffic facts 2009" (PDF). www.nhtsa.gov. US Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  3. ↑ Schuurman, N; Cinnamon, J; Crooks, VA; Hameed, SM (2009). "Pedestrian injury and the built environment: An environmental scan of hotspots". BMC Public Health. 9: 233. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-233 . PMC   2714512 . PMID   19602225.
  4. ↑ "Pedestrian Council of Australia". 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  5. ↑ "The Stats | MAC". www.mac.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  6. ↑ "Accidents to intoxicated pedestrians in South Australia" (PDF). Centre of automotive safety research. February 2009. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  7. ↑ "Male pedestrian fatalities" (PDF). www.infrastructure.gov.au. Australian transport safety bureau. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  8. ↑ Cohen, Josh (February 9, 2015). "When drunk walking is outlawed, only outlaws will walk drunk". The Works. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  9. ↑ King, Chris (2023-01-29). "Instances where pedestrians in Spain can receive DGT fines of up to €1,000". Euro Weekly News. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  10. ↑ "Consumption or intoxication in public places — notifications — chemical tests — exoneration. - Section 123.46" (PDF). iowa.gov. 2009. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
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