From drivers to passengers: concept of passive drink driving and need for passenger-centric interventions to reduce drink-driving in Bengaluru City, India

INTRODUCTION: Analogous to second-hand smoking, passive drink driving refers to travelling with the driver under the influence of alcohol, beyond the legally prescribed BAC limits. Such passengers are exposed to impaired driving conditions and increased risk for road crashes. AIM: To estimate the prevalence of passive drink driving in Bengaluru city and to highlight the relevance of a passenger-centric approach as a strategy for reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional drink-driving assessment was conducted in March 2023 across 48 police station jurisdictions in Bengaluru city. Random, two-phase alcohol breath testing was carried out among 10810 drivers and riders. Information on the number and characteristics of passengers travelling with screened drivers was collected through direct observation by trained field investigators. Passive drink driving was defined as passengers travelling with drivers detected with a BAC >30 mg/100 ml of blood. The percentage of passenger-carrying vehicles operated by drivers with BAC above 30 mg/100 ml, as well as the proportion of passengers travelling with a drink-drive violator, indicate presence of passive drink-driving is presented to measure passive drink driving. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. RESULTS: There were 11468 passengers in 5624 vehicles. For every 1000 vehicles with passengers, 25 were driven by a drink-drive violator. Among 11468 passengers, around 1.7% (95% CI 1.52- 2.01) were travelling with a drink-drive violator. DISCUSSION: Passengers face crash risks similar to those of drink-driving offenders, yet passenger-centric interventions are largely ignored in the control of drink-driving in the Indian context. CONCLUSION: Passenger-focused communication strategies should be deployed to discourage individuals from travelling with impaired drivers. Inclusion of passive drink driving as an indicator in routine road crash surveillance systems, along with further research on its health and legal implications, is recommended.