Drinking behind the wheel for one Italian in 20: the ISS report

Just over 5% of Italians get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol, with greater frequency in the 25 to 34 age group. The data confirms this surveillance of Passi Iss relating to the two-year period 2022-2023 published today. Only one in three respondents wear a rear seat belt, while two in 10 do not use child seats.

4% of young people drive after drinking

From the Passi 2022-2023 data it emerges that just over 5 out of 100 interviewees drove under the influence of alcohol in the 30 days preceding the interview (they had consumed two or more units of alcohol an hour before driving). The share of very young people driving under the influence of alcohol is slightly lower than in the rest of the population but still remains worrying since the risk of road accidents associated with this behavior is decidedly higher when linked to young age: 4% of In fact, those interviewed between 18 and 21 years of age declared that they had driven after consuming alcoholic beverages, furthermore risking incurring a certain sanction since in this age group the legal blood alcohol threshold allowed is equal to zero.

The age groups most at risk

Driving under the influence of alcohol is in any case more frequent in the 25-34 age group (8%), among men (8% compared to 3% among women). The data analysis does not highlight a clear geographical gradient even if the multivariate analysis – which corrects for gender, age and other sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents – highlights that the northern regions are more exposed to the phenomenon. However, there is no shortage of southern regions with high percentages of people who report driving under the influence of alcohol.

The reduction observed since 2008 in the percentage of those who drive after drinking alcohol has been significant throughout the country; the greater reduction observed in the two-year period 2020-2021 could be the result of the containment measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, with the closure of premises and the reduction of opportunities for meeting and socializing. Proof of this is that the data for subsequent years are similar to 2019 and in line with the trend observed in the pre-pandemic period. In this context, it is central Italy that seems to have a greater acceleration in decline compared to the north and south.

As regards gender differences, it is men who show a stronger decrease which halves the share of those who declare having driven after drinking alcohol, from 17% in 2008 to 7% in 2023. Looking instead the different age groups, we find the 25-34 year old class as the one that stands out for the highest value compared to the others, despite following a similar decreasing trend over time.

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The use of seat belts

Among the adults interviewed, the use of the front seat belt in cars is quite widespread, even if it does not reach the total coverage required by law. Before the two-year period 2020-2021, more than eight out of 10 interviewees declared that they always used the front seat belt when traveling by car as drivers or passengers in the front seat, a figure which is also confirmed in 2023. On the other hand, the use of the rear seat belt is always It was much less frequent and until 2015 only around 20% of those interviewed reported wearing it all the time. From that date we began to observe an increasing trend, in all areas of the country and for all age and sex groups. In 2023 this share is significantly higher and 34% of those interviewed say they always use the rear seat belt when traveling by car.

The helmet on two wheels

The use of a helmet on a motorcycle/scooter now seems to be a consolidated practice: approximately 96% of those interviewed, who traveled on a motorbike as drivers or passengers in the 12 months preceding the interview, declare that they have always worn it. However, these data are national average values ​​while the geographical differences are large and significant and draw a clear north-south gradient to the detriment of the southern regions both for the use of seat belts in cars (constant use of rear seat belts in cars is in 2023 and 19 % in the South and 54% in the north of the country) and of motorcycle/moped helmets (92% in the South and 98% in the North, again data from 2023) just as the social differences are relevant and significant for which less educated people or with fewer economic resources, they use safety devices less when driving. The data seems to confirm an overestimation of the prevalence of use of rear seat belts for the years 2021-2022, nevertheless the increasing trend from 2019 to 2023 remains relevant and significant.

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The child seat

Since 2011, Passi surveillance has also investigated the use of child seats and/or adapters for transporting children in cars. As a proxy for ‘non-use’ or ‘inadequate use’ of these systems, respondents who say they live in a household with children up to 6 years of age are asked if they have difficulty getting them to sit in the seat or adapter. In the two-year period 2022-2023, approximately two in 10 people reported having difficulty using these devices, not using them at all or even not having any safety devices, even when traveling by car.

In the southern regions this share reaches 25% (vs. 16% in the center and 12% in the northern regions). Non-use, or ‘inadequate’ use of child seats/adapters for transporting children in cars, is more frequent among socially disadvantaged people due to low education (22% compared to 17% among highly educated people) or due to economic difficulties (25% versus 16% among people without economic difficulties). The temporal trend of this indicator describes an improving situation, which goes from 24% of non-use or inadequate use in 2011 to 17% in 2023.