Trunkenheitsdelinquenz im straßenverkehr und atemalkoholanalytik

The present study provides a current survey of driving while intoxicated (DWI) and the effects of the introduction of the breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) (as assessed by Alcotest 7110 Evidential) as a means of evidence in court in the catchment area of the Bonn Institute of Forensic Medicine. For this purpose, the records of the laboratory for alcohol analysis covering the years 1997, 1999 and 2003 were retrospectively analysed as for sex, age, date and time of arrest, blood alcohol concentration (BAC), BrAC and results of medical examination. The data evaluated comprised 11784 cases including 1889 cases from 2003 with the BrAC as determined by police forces being available for comparison with the BAC as assessed regarding forensic quality standards. The proportion of women arrested for impaired driving amounted to about 9%. As for the age distribution, in males individuals from 20 to 40 years of age predominated whilst women involved appeared to be 10 years older. In about 8% of the cases factors were found indicating alcohol abuse, respectively dependency. These factors included DWI under the influence of a high BAC exceeding 1,6 g/l at times of socially inadequate alcohol consumption or an obvious discrepancy between a low degree of drunkenness on medical examination as opposed to high BAC (probably attributable to high alcohol tolerance). The introduction of the breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) (as determined by Alcotest 7110 Evidential) as a means of evidence in court was associated with a reduced number of examinations for BAC which mainly involved samples with low BAC (< 0,5 g/l). The quotient of BAC (g/l) to BrAC (mg/l) ranged from 0,97 through 3,15 and showed an average of 2,13. In 486 cases a quotient between 2 and 2,1 was assessed whilst major differences (> 1.6 and > 2,4) were found in 40 cases (2%).