Hutchinson, Kloeden and Lindsay have concurred that a significant proportion of pedestrian deaths occur as a result of the alcohol consumed by pedestrians and their level of intoxication. The role alcohol plays in pedestrian deaths has been known for some time. The contribution of alcohol consumed by pedestrians to their deaths varies from country to country with the Irish situation more similar to that found in Australia than the United Kingdom where alcohol plays a lesser role in pedestrian deaths1.2. Despite this knowledge there has been a shortage of specific action in tackling this problem. The WHO, in their publication Preventing Road Traffic Injury; A Public Health Perspective for Europe, pedestrian alcohol related deaths are not mentioned3. In Ireland it is an offence to be so intoxicated in a public place that a person could reasonably be presumed to be a danger to themselves or to anyone around them and it is an offence to serve alcohol to an intoxicated person. Despite these the problem still exits.
展开▼
