- A + A print
Home > Motoring > Safer Driving > City driving >  

Drunk pedestrians


Drunk pedestrians

Pedestrian fatalities

Analysis of 10 years of data for NSW (1992-2001) reveals important findings about alcohol related crashes. (Source of data : Roads and Traffic Authority).

This fact sheet draws upon the key findings and has been produced to raise awareness about how pedestrians are a danger to themselves and others when they’re intoxicated.

Gender and blood alcohol content (bac)

Blood alcohol content (or BAC) of .05 equates to, on average, two standard alcoholic drinks over one hour for a male, and one for a woman.

  • 40% of male fatalities and 11% of female fatalities involved a BAC of .05 or more.
  • Males accounted for 89% of the pedestrian fatalities with a BAC of .05 or more.
  • Among males (16-70 years) a large proportion of pedestrian fatalities had a BAC of .05 or more. These fatalities were broadly distributed across all age bands.
  • Among those killed with a BAC of .05 or more, nearly three quarters (72%) had a BAC of .15 or more. This BAC level represented 29% of all male pedestrian fatalities and 8% of female fatalities. As with drink driving, a large part of the problem associated with intoxicated pedestrians occurs at very high blood alcohol levels.

Other findings

Time of crash

The large majority (87%) of pedestrian fatalities with a BAC of .05 or more occurred in the hours of darkness.

Over half of the fatalities occurred on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Geographical location

The rate of pedestrian fatalities with a BAC of .05 or more was lowest in the Sydney Metropolitan Area, estimated at 5.2 fatalities per 100,000 population over the 10 year period.

The rate was higher in the Newcastle Metropolitan Area (8.5), the Wollongong Metropolitan Area (10.9) and the Country areas of NSW (8.9).

Fatalities outside the metropolitan areas were more likely to have a BAC of .05 or more than a BAC of zero.

Reducing the risk

  • The dangers of drink-driving need to be better explained to pedestrians.
  • Consuming too much alcohol impairs your ability to judge speed and distance, so be careful of traffic when leaving venues.
  • Be careful of walking on roads in darkness.
  • Cross roads at traffic lights.
  • Never sit or rest on the road, however quiet it might appear.
  • Make sure you look after your friends after you leave the venue.
  • If hosting a party, arrange for guests to get home safely or stay overnight.
  • Be conscious of how much alcohol you and your friends are drinking – alternate with low or non-alcoholic drinks and have something to eat.
  • Help pedestrians you see at risk.

Key facts

  • Pedestrians are the largest road user group.
  • Approximately 1 in 5 road deaths in NSW is a pedestrian.
  • Intoxicated pedestrians account for a 1/4 of pedestrian fatalities.
  • 90% of alcohol-affected pedestrians were killed in the hours of darkness.
  • 89% of alcohol affected pedestrians killed were male.
  • Over half of the fatalities occurred on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Find a review

Search through hundreds of car reviews
Make
Model
Year
Review type

Service Finder

  • Car Maintenance

  • Emergency Maintenance

  • Products & Services

Online Shop

Join thousands of others following NRMA

  • rss

    RSS

  • rss

    Twitter