Evaluation of legislation to reduce the drink drive limit in Scotland
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN38602189 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN38602189 |
| Protocol serial number | NIHR PHR 14/186/58 |
| Sponsor | University of Glasgow |
| Funder | National Institute for Health Research |
- Submission date
- 02/05/2017
- Registration date
- 27/06/2017
- Last edited
- 11/07/2023
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Since 5th December 2014, drivers and riders of vehicles in Scotland have been subject to a stricter drink-drive policy (0.05 g/dL blood alcohol concentration limit) than the rest of Great Britain where the limit has remained unchanged (0.08 g/dL). The fact that a change in drink driving policy has happened in Scotland but not in other parts of Great Britain provides a perfect opportunity to conduct a “natural experiment” to assess whether the change resulted in health gains for Scotland as a whole, and helped reduce differences in health outcomes between the least and most deprived groups in society. The aim of our project is to formally evaluate the change in drink driving legislation.
Who can participate?
The entire population of Scotland, England and Wales.
What does the study involve?
The research team review the number of road traffic accidents by reviewing police data of road accidents recorded in a database every week for the four year study period. Information about the amount of alcohol sold is also observed using market research every four weeks for the four year study period.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no direct benefits or risks involved with participating
Where is the study run from?
University of Glasgow (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
December 2014 to December 2017
Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Jim Lewsey
jim.lewsey@glasgow.ac.uk
Contact information
Scientific
University of Glasgow
1 Lilybank Gardens
Glasgow
G12 8RZ
United Kingdom
| Phone | +44 141 3303260 |
|---|---|
| jim.lewsey@glasgow.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Observational |
|---|---|
| Study design | Observational natural experiment design |
| Secondary study design | Natural experiment |
| Scientific title | Evaluation of legislation to reduce the drink drive limit in Scotland: a natural experiment |
| Study objectives | Research questions: 1. Has the change in drink driving legislation in Scotland been effective (reduction in RTAs)? 2. Has the change in drink driving legislation in Scotland led to changes in relative and absolute RTA rates that differ by levels of socio-economic deprivation? 3. Has the change in drink driving legislation in Scotland led to a reduction in population alcohol consumption? 4. Has the change in drink driving legislation in Scotland provided good value for money (been cost-effective)? |
| Ethics approval(s) | Submission to MVLS College Ethics Committee, University of Glasgow. The committee reviewed the application and agreed that there is no objection on ethical grounds to the proposed study (letter dated 22/06/16). |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Road traffic accidents and per capita alcohol consumption. |
| Intervention | In Scotland, the drink drive policy was updated and came into effect on 5th December 2014, lowering to 50mg per 100ml of blood from 80mg. In the rest of Great Britain, the limit has remained at 0.08 g/dL. Road traffic accidents and alcohol consumption by reviewing databases (STATS19 and Nielsen market research). There observations will take place a weekly basis over the 4-year study period for road traffic accidents and 4-weekly over the 4-year study period for alcohol sales data. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Road traffic accident counts will be measured by STATS19 police data of road accidents in Great Britain on a weekly basis over the 4-year study period. |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. Off-trade per capita alcohol sales will be measured by alcohol retail sales data from Nielsen market research company on a 4-weekly basis over the 4-year study period |
| Completion date | 31/12/2017 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | All |
|---|---|
| Age group | All |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 64596800 |
| Key inclusion criteria | The entire population of Scotland (intervention) and England and Wales (control). |
| Key exclusion criteria | No exclusion criteria |
| Date of first enrolment | 05/12/2012 |
| Date of final enrolment | 05/12/2016 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- Scotland
Study participating centre
1 Lilybank Gardens
Glasgow
G12 8RZ
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| IPD sharing plan | The current data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 26/01/2019 | Yes | No | |
| Results article | effect on road traffic accident numbers or alcohol consumption | 30/06/2019 | 11/07/2023 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
11/07/2023: Publication reference added.
17/12/2018: Publication reference added.
05/01/2018: Internal review.
