Drinking and driving: no longer 'only for men'.

This article considers dutch research data on women driving under the influence of alcohol during the period 1970-87. For the period as a whole women drove under the influence of alcohol less frequently than men. Until 1975-77 the percentage of women driving under the influence of alcohol declined, but since then it has risen again. This development was accompanied by a strong rise in general alcohol consumption until 1980, followed by a gradual decline in subsequent years. The number of women driving during weekend nights rose strongly over the entire period. As a result of this the proportion of women among all intoxicated drivers has risen sine 1975-77. The current difference between the percentages of men and women who drive under the influence of alcohol can only be partially explained by differences in alcohol consumption. In order to explain the differences noted between men and women several hypotheses have been formulated.