Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study is to determine what effect various interventions may have on the number and severity of drunk driver-related vehicle accidents, arrests, and driver license suspensions over a period of 20 to 30 years. These interventions include legislative action, favorable court decisions, salience, and anti-drunk driving community groups. Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the research foundations of drinking and alcoholism, general/simple and specific deterrence, and the role of deterrence in changing behaviors. Methodology. Utilizing secondary, archival data, the researcher has created a series of models depicting trends of data covering a period of 20 to 30 years. The models illustrate drunk driving-related categorical information for years prior and subsequent to the various interventions. Findings and Conclusions. Examination of quantitative and qualitative data indicate mixed or limited impact on the measured variables prior to 1990 legislation, which provided for a lower blood alcohol threshold and increased punitive sanctions on convicted drunk-driving offenders. A rapid, marked, significant reduction in injuries, fatalities, arrests, and suspensions followed for a period of about 10 years. The number of injuries and arrests/suspensions recovered somewhat, but have evened out in recent years. Recently, the number of fatalities began to rise after years of reduction, and have continued to grow while other variables remain flat. Recommendations. The study data support the conclusion that public policy, in the form of legislation, can lead to significant change in behavior as it relates to drunk driving. Change can be short-lived, however, as indicated by recent increases in the number of highway deaths attributed to drunk drivers. The appearance of a new lower blood alcohol concentration threshold appears unlikely, as does greater punitive sanctions of convicted offenders. Practitioners must re-emphasize prevention, deterrence and apprehension of drinking drivers. Future research should include close monitoring of injury and fatality data, possible high-intensity court supervision of offenders, plus better means of delivering driver education and awareness.