OBJECTIVE: To determine if the level of injury sustained by a cited impaired driver involved in a crash is related to the subsequent suspension or revocation of their driver license through civil actions taken by the Driver License Bureau. METHODS: Drivers cited for driving under the influence (DUI) who were involved in a crash were studied. Utah crash records for 1996 and 1997 were probabilistically linked to emergency medical service (EMS), emergency department (ED), hospital inpatient and the impaired driving citation databases in order to determine the level of medical care and actions taken against the cited drivers. RESULTS: There were 3227 drivers involved in a crash who received a citation for a DUI. Of these, 184 were hospitalized for inpatient care, 742 were seen in and discharged from an ED, 161 received only EMS care, 279 had an injury but did not receive medical care, and 1861 sustained no injury. Almost three quarters (72.0%) of the cited drivers had their license suspended or revoked. The type of civil action taken was associated with the level of medical attention the driver required (p<0.0001). Non-injured cited drivers were nearly 2 times more likely to have their license suspended or revoked compared to injured impaired drivers. The reason for no action differed by the driver’s medical outcome (p<0.001). No test result was the most common reason for no action among the cited injured drivers. CONCLUSION: Impaired cited drivers who are involved in crashes do not have civil licensing penalties equally applied.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Keywords: DUI, Criminal Justice
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