Half of Argentines have driven after drinking alcohol, reveals study

A survey by the Cámara de la Industria Cervecera ("Chamber of Argentine Brewers") has revealed that half of Argentine car-drivers have imbibed alcoholic beverages before sitting behind the wheel.

However, 82 percent of the respondents to the same survey said they backed a “zero tolerance” approach for drunken driving.

While 97 percent expressed familiarity with the notion of a “designated driver,” only half said that they had ever seen it put into practice, the survey said.

Last year 7,274 Argentines died in traffic accidents, as against 1,600 in Spain, with a slightly larger population, while the United States totals 32,000 road deaths with a population more than seven times higher.

Alcohol consumption is one of the main causes of death among young car drivers, playing a role in 27 percent of fatal accidents involving those aged 13 to 24 years old, according to the Luchemos por la Vida NGO.

– TIMES/PERFIL