Driving under the influence of alcohol. A 5-year overview in Piedmont, Italy

• Driving under influence of alcohol is one of the main causes of traffic accidents.
• Few prevalence studies connecting alcohol and accidents have been performed in Italy.
• We describe blood samples analysis of injured drivers in Piedmont, Northern Italy.
• Large majority of blood samples showed BAC concentrations above 1.5 g/L.
• Young drivers, both male and female, must be considered high-risk categories.

Alcohol consumption represents a major health issue worldwide and a crucial factor in road accidences. This study provides information on the prevalence of alcohol in blood testing performed on 2752 subjects involved in vehicle accidents, which occurred in Piedmont (northern Italy) between 2008 and 2013. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was determined by an ISO 17025 accredited GC/MS procedure. Fifty-one % of positive samples showed BAC concentrations above 1.5 g/L, with a legal cut-off fixed at 0.5 g/L (and 0 g/L for specified categories such as novice and professional drivers). BAC values proved statistically different regarding the day of sampling (week or weekend days), age and gender, with a prevalence of positive results that reflects different drinking habits of a multifaceted population of alcohol consumers.