Alcohol-impaired driving in Tunisia: Forensic insights and population-level data for North African public health and road safety.

AIMS: Alcohol abuse remains a significant global public health challenge contributing to road accidents, chronic diseases, and social issues. In Tunisia, limited data on alcohol consumption trends among drivers and accident victims prompted this forensic study, which analyzed blood samples from 2068 individuals detained during roadside checks or involved in road accidents over five years (2019-2023).

METHODS

This study used semi-quantitative immunoassay screening to assess alcohol prevalence and demographic patterns.

RESULTS

The results revealed an 82.5 % positivity rate for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding the legal limit of 0.3 g/L, with a strong male predominance (97.8 %) and a majority of cases in the 20-35 age group (51.1 %). Alcohol consumption was most prevalent among manual laborers (48.2 %) and urban residents, particularly in Tunis (52.3 %). The study also identified seasonal peaks in alcohol-related arrests and highlighted the risks associated with various BAC levels, from minor impairments at 0.3-0.5 g/L to severe intoxication at levels above 1.5 g/L.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide the first systematic forensic evidence on alcohol-impaired driving in Tunisia. To our knowledge, this research work provides, for the first time, data on the prevalence and patterns of alcohol use in an African country based on large-scale forensic analysis. This potentially represents an important case study for comparison with other continental regions, particularly Europe and the northern Mediterranean. Furthermore, such analysis has highlighted differences in substance use trends in a comparative case study of the European Neighbourhood and Southern countries, helping to adjust and adapt prevention and harm reduction strategies to regional realities.