Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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This study was designed to define 1 trauma center's drunk driver patient population, determine the incidence of alcohol intoxication in motorists admitted to the hospital following a collision, and ascertain the frequency of the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charges filed against this population. ⋯ Overall, 60% of admitted injured drivers who were tested had positive results for 1 or more substances known to impair driving ability, yet only 16% of those with a blood alcohol level of > or = 100 mg/dL were charged with DUI. This finding supports previously published data suggesting that injury and transport to a hospital protect the alcohol-impaired driver from legal consequences.