NCJ Number
122638
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 80 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1989) Pages: 781-804
Date Published
1989
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This individual-level deterrence research study attempts to improve the methodologies used to determine why individual adults drive while drunk.
Abstract
To understand why people took part in drunk driving despite its illegality, a panel study obtained a random sample of 550 adults by using random digit dialing. Of the initial group reached in an urban Minnesota area, 336 responded that they drank alcoholic beverages and drove a motor vehicle on occasion, and 310 agreed to be interviewed again. One year later, 235 of the group of 310 were interviewed again. The study used logit regression analysis to evaluate the importance of demographic and social indicators and the inhibitory variables for predicting the respondents' past involvement in drunken driving behavior. The study found that young unmarried males who drink frequently and feel little threat of social disapproval from those important to them are more likely to engage in drunk driving than are older married women who drink less frequently and are aware of high levels of social disapproval for drunk driving. Informal threats of sanctions are better predictors of involvement in drunken driving behavior than are formal ones. 98 footnotes.