Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117093

Lisa K. Hyde, MPA, Intermountain Injury Control Research Center, University of Utah School of Medicine, 295 Chipeta Way, PO Box 581289, Salt Lake City, UT 84158-0289, 801-581-5755, lisa.hyde@hsc.utah.edu, Stacey Knight, MStat, University of Utah School of Medicine, Intermountain Injury Control Research Center, 295 Chipeta Way, PO Box 581289, Salt Lake City, UT 84158-0289, and Lenora Olson, MA, Intermountain Injury Control Research Center, University of Utah, 295 Chipeta Way, PO Box 581289, Salt Lake City, UT 84158-0289.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the level of injury sustained by a cited impaired driver in a crash is related to the subsequent suspension or revocation of their driver license through civil action taken by the Driver License Bureau.

METHODS: We studied drivers cited for driving under the influence (DUI) who were involved in a crash during 1999-2002. Utah crash records were probabilistically linked to emergency department (ED) records, hospital inpatient records, and the impaired driving citation file.

RESULTS: There were 6,484 drivers involved in a crash who received a citation for a DUI. Of these, 338 were hospitalized for inpatient care, 1,425 were treated in the ED, 1,171 had an injury but did not receive medical care, and 3,550 sustained no injury. More than half (56.4%) of the cited drivers had their license suspended or revoked, 32.7% were given probation, and 10.8% had no action taken against them. Non-injured cited drivers were more likely to have action taken against their license compared to injured drivers (inpatients: 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3, 2.4, ED patients: 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4, 1.9). The reason for no action differed by the driver's medical outcome (p<0.001). The most common reasons for no action among the cited injured drivers was that the officer did not appear at the hearing or no test results were available.

CONCLUSION: Impaired cited drivers who are involved in crashes do not have civil licensing penalties equally applied. An improved system for DUI administrative action especially among injured drivers is warranted.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to understand the importance of administrative license revocation laws for DUI, identify the impact that the DUI-cited drivers' level of injury has on actions taken against the drivers' license, and describe the changes needed to improve DUI administrative action systems.

Keywords: DUI, System Involvement

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.