Alcohol - illegal drugs

Drink-driving is the second leading cause of death on the roads, after speed.

Unless otherwise specified in the studies presented, a driver is characterized as "alcoholic" iftheir BAC level exceeds the most common legal limit, namely a level of 0.5 g/l or more of blood. Young adults (18-24 years old and 25-34 years old), drivers or pedestrians, are more likely to be under the influence of alcohol when they are presumed responsible for fatal accidents than other age groups. 81 % of those killed in accidents involving an alcoholic driver are either the driver himself or a passenger in his vehicle.

Among alcoholic drivers, 35 % of those killed, who are informed about seatbelt use, weren't wearing a seatbelt (12 % for non alcoholic drivers). In addition, the consumption of alcohol by a pedestrian, which also causes a decrease in alertness and an impairment of cognitive abilities, therefore increases the user's exposure to danger and risk taking. 18 % of the pedestrians killed, tested with alcohol, had a level above 0.5g/l, and 48 % of them had a level above 2g/l.

In fatal accidents, 12 % of the drivers tested are positive for illegal drugs (as in 2019). This proportion varies according to the mode of transport: it is 30 % for moped riders, 13 % for motorists and 3 % for truck drivers.
The drivers tested positive for illegal drugs in fatal accidents are :

  • 61 % of passenger vehicle drivers and 18 % of motorcycle drivers,
  • 91 % of men,
  • 31 % aged 18 to 24, 30 % aged 25 to 34, and 17 % aged 35 to 44.

If in 21 % of fatal accidents, at least one driver had used illegal drugs, it's estimated that drug use is the main cause of the fatal accident in only 13 % of cases.

behavioural risks - alcohol