Blood alcohol concentrations were determined in 115 patients who were involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and admitted to the Johannesburg General Hospital over a 1-month period in April and May 1976. Seventy-eight per cent of the patients who had alcohol in their blood were seen on Friday and Saturday nights and approximately one-third of all victims had blood alcohol values which exceeded the legal limit of 0,08 g/100 ml. Alcohol appears to play a larger role in causing accidents and injuries than has been previously presumed. It is recommended that all casualty department doctors liaise more closely with the police authorities in the matter of blood sampling.