Alcohol and Highway Safety: A Bibliography

Flynn, Lois · 1976 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This document is a subject bibliography titled *Alcohol and Highway Safety*, published in May 1976 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It compiles literature acquired since the establishment of NHTSA in 1967, addressing the intersection of alcohol consumption and traffic safety. The bibliography was prepared to reflect staff interest in the subject and serves as a curated index of reports, journal articles, and proceedings from various organizations, including government agencies, universities, and international bodies. It is part of a special series of bibliographies intended for informational purposes, with documents available through the National Technical Information Service or other specified sources. The document does not present original empirical research but rather aggregates existing findings through abstract citations. The entries are indexed by keywords, authors, and report numbers, covering a wide range of topics including the physiological effects of alcohol on driving skills, statistical analyses of accident data, legal enforcement strategies, and the psychological characteristics of drinking drivers. The bibliography includes studies from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and other nations, reflecting a global scope of inquiry into the problem. Specific citations highlight research on blood alcohol concentration levels, the impact of alcohol on vision and reaction time, and the comparative effects of alcohol versus other drugs on motor performance. The aggregated findings within the bibliography indicate that alcohol is a significant factor in highway accidents, particularly among chronic alcoholics rather than casual social drinkers. Several cited studies note that accident risk rises steadily with alcohol consumption, and that even low blood alcohol concentrations can impair driving ability, especially under glare conditions or when combined with other factors like fatigue. The literature suggests that drivers involved in alcohol-related accidents often exhibit high-risk behaviors, such as reckless driving and single-vehicle crashes. Additionally, the bibliography highlights disparities in police reporting and enforcement, noting that data compatibility across states is poor. It also points out that many safety campaigns have had limited or boomerang effects, and that current legal deterrents are often ineffective against pathological drinkers. The significance of this bibliography lies in its role as a comprehensive resource for policymakers, researchers, and law enforcement officials seeking to understand the multifaceted nature of alcohol-related traffic safety issues. By consolidating diverse studies, it underscores the need for multiple approaches to the problem, including stricter enforcement, implied consent laws, better driver screening, and targeted educational programs. The document implies that addressing alcohol and highway safety requires a coordinated effort involving medical, legal, and sociological interventions, as well as improved data collection and analysis methods.

Key finding

The document serves as a comprehensive bibliography indexing existing literature on alcohol and highway safety, highlighting that alcohol is a significant factor in traffic accidents and that accident risk generally increases with alcohol consumption.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Topics

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• alcohol
• dui enforcement
• drowsy as impairment
• polydrug
• alcohol detection systems
• illicit drugs

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes