In a national survey carried out in 1986, 1,700 drivers were interviewed about their beliefs, attitudes and behaviour towards drinking and driving. Drawing on analysis of the results of this survey and recent evidence from other countries, this report discusses whether the drink drive problem in England and Wales could be dealt with by raising the levels of enforcement. Analysis of the results of the survey show that drink driving is closely associated with the following five types of factors: 1) whether drivers regarded drinking and driving as important aspects of their social lives; 2) drivers' beliefs about how drinking increased their chances of being stopped by the police and drivers' concern about the legal consequences of conviction; 3) drivers' beliefs about the dangers of drinking before driving; 4) drivers' beliefs about the likelihood that family or friends would disapprove of their drinking and driving; and 5) the experienced effects of alcohol on mood and behaviour. Taken together, the findings of past research and of this survey support a policy of increased enforcement activity. The conclusion drawn is that wider use of the breathalyser in routine traffic law enforcement coupled with an increase in the number of driver check points could, with supporting media coverage, produce major and lasting improvements in road safety and, ultimately, in reducing the number of offenders and their victims.
Abstract