COMPARISON OF FEMALE AND MALE DRUNKEN DRIVERS IN HAMBURG 1970-1987. WOMEN, ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND TRAFFIC - PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 1988

52207 protocols concerning blood alcohol samples of drunken drivers (48090 men, 4117 women) were analyzed retrospectively at the institute for forensic medicine in Hamburg (time period since 1970, namely the years 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987). -since 1970 the number of cars in our region increased about 45%. The total number of alcohol-related traffic delinquencies decreased from 11051 to 6312 (-43%): as to the men the delinquency decreased from 10615 to 5603 (-47%) whereas the number of drunken women rose from 436 to 709 cases (+63%). Most of the blood tests showed an alcohol concentration of 1.5 to 1.99%o. Within the group of women mainly employees were affected; women between 21 to 40 years of age predominated; expectedly the night-time period between 10.00 pm to 04.00 am and the Saturday was overloaded with traffic delinquency. The number of female drunken drivers with traffic accidents rose from 161 in the year 1970 to 358 in the year 1987. -there is a significant increase of the percentage of female drunken drivers taking part in traffic (from 4% in 1970 up to 11% in 1987) and being involved in traffic accidents. The underlying mechanisms of socialisation, education, emancipation, police control, etc are discussed. (TRRL)