Driving under the influence of alcohol in Germany. Primary data from the study.

Research Questions/Hypotheses:

Research Design:

Combined Standardized Survey Instruments (Combination of various standardized sections); repeated measurements

Measurement Instruments/Apparatus:

The questionnaire was designed around the following battery of questions:

• How many drivers drive under the influence of alcohol?
• How risky is drinking and driving?
• What can be done about drinking and driving?

The survey instrument format consists of both closed questions and a few open answer questions. The questions were processed in part by a special collection-point field coordinator (especially data concerning the general situation in which the data was collected) or by the particular interviewer (excerpts from the passenger-provided information and coding of information concerning noncooperative drivers).

Additionly, data were used which was gathered by the interviewers using calibrated instruments to measure breath values . Most of the data, however, were directly asked of the car drivers and noted by the interviewer.

Content can be divided into several areas: coding of the survey wave, survey situation and response behavior, examination of alcohol and drugs/medications intake, driver and passenger information, information concerning alcohol consumption, experience of control situations, route information, existing alcohol limits and penalties, information concerning the dangers of driving, driving while intoxicated, blood alcohol limits and traffic controls, information concerning most recent car accident, car information.

Data Collection Method:

Data collection in the presence of an experimenter

• individual Administration
• special equipment or measuring instruments: Dräger Alcotest 7410 a manufacturer-calibrated device for measuring breath alcohol levels.

Population:

Representative of driving in Germany (KONTIV 89) with regards to age, gender, day of week and time of day by weighting

Survey Time Period:

Three data collection waves:
November-December 1992
April-May 1993
April-May 1994

Sample:

A random selection of rest stops in Lower Franconia and Thüringen and a random selection of drivers off the road. Surveys focused on weekend nights, though other times of day and days of the week were also surveyed.

Gender Distribution:

24,1% female subjects (n=5107)
75,3% male subjects (n=15952)

Age Distribution: 18-24 years; 25-49 years; 50 years or older

Spatial Coverage (Country/Region/City): Germany/Lower Franconia; Thüringen

Subject Recruitment:

Selection of drivers by the police.

Sample Size:

21189 individuals

Return/Drop Out:

Of the drivers selected by the police, 96.1% answered the relevant questions.