This report discusses an exploratory study into the relationship between enforcement and driving under the influence of alcohol. Over 40 Dutch police constabularies which had pledged their cooperation for the study on drinking and driving habits were asked to complete a questionnaire. Data on driving under the influence of alcohol derived from a nationwide study into drink driving habits were also used. The main results were as follows: (1) 39 police constabularies responded to the questionnaire; (2) 29 respondents performed specifically planned drink driving controls; (3) Of these 29 respondents, 59% reported that much publicity preceded planned alcohol controls, while 38% reported that there had been little publicity; (4) There were considerable differences between the police constabularies regarding the approach in checking for alcohol consumption in accidents; (5) 74% of the police constabularies reported that in the event of an accident, outward signs of alcohol consumption are first looked for in order to assess whether a breath test is necessary; (6) Police constabularies with 'high' supervision were primarily located in the smaller municipalities, while the police constabularies with 'low' enforcement were mainly represented by the larger municipalities; and (7) no relationship was found between the level of enforcement and the degree of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Abstract