Motor vehicle driving after binge drinking, Brazil, 2006 to 2009.

The present study aimed to analyze the proportion of adults who drive under the influence of alcohol in the Brazilian capitals and in the Federal District, after Law 11,705 was established. Data from the Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico System (VIGITEL - Surveillance System of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Interview) were analyzed. In 2008, 1.5% of individuals interviewed reported having driven a motor vehicle after binge drinking in at least one occasion. The frequency of adults who drove after binge drinking remained between 1.8% and 2.2% in the eight months preceding the Law, decreased in the month following its establishment, and increased again two months later, reaching a maximum of 2.6% by the end of 2008 and returning to the initial levels in the first months of 2009.