NCJ Number
110479
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 22 Issue: 12 Dated: (1987) Pages: 1255-1267
Date Published
1987
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This research analyzes dangerous driving situations among young drivers in an attempt to understand the potential for accident and injury and the incidence of alcohol and drug use.
Abstract
Three research goals were: (1) to identify common potentially dangerous driving situations among adolescents without citations for driving while intoxicated (DWI), (2) to characterize precipitating events and consequences of such driving incidents, and (3) to characterize the new adolescent driver at risk in the situational context of DWI. The study subjects were 67 females and 125 males -- ages 16 to 19 -- with at least 6 months of driving experience and no DWI citations. They were interviewed about driving incidents, and 12 descriptive characteristics were used to analyze each incident report. The 192 high school drivers related 662 dangerous driving incidents, 430 by males, 232 by females. These incidents were characterized by reckless intent, driving late at night, riding with other peers involving alcohol and drugs, reporting impaired driving, and distractions in the car. Findings indicate that participation by peers in each incident and dangerous driving behavior often appeared as a continuation of activities begun at home or at social gatherings; that riding in an automobile after a social event was considered a continuation of social activities preceding the driving event. One result of this study was development of a driver risk-taker profile suggesting potential intervention strategies. Tabular data and 15 references. (Author abstract modified)