Commentary: Alcohol and motor vehicle-related crashes--driver attitudes need further intervention.

摘要

Every single weekend night, in nearly every emergency department (ED) in America, there is a patient injured by a drunk driver. Some of these people are fortunate and escape with only scrapes, bruises, and dents in their cars. Unfortunately, others are not so lucky. As we rush to put in central lines, suture wounds, and splint broken bones, we have to shake our heads at the unnecessary carnage-in the ED at 2 AM on Saturday, this problem feels overwhelming. For decades, there have been public health messages and campaigns focused on pushing the public not to drive after drinking, with messages that driving under the influence of alcohol causes deadly and life-altering crashes, that drunk drivers get caught and prosecuted ("You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" and "Under the influence? Under arrest"), and placing an emphasis on social responsibility ("Friends don't let friends drive drunk").