Data collected by the Victoria Police at the time an alleged drink-driving offender undergoes an evidential breath test were analysed to investigate the possibility that certain situational and psychological factors might be associated with drink-driving. The focus of the analysis was the potential for the situational and psychological characteristics associated with drink-driving to be used to target drink-drive countermeasures more effectively in the Victorian context where there are already relatively high levels of enforcement and supporting publicity. Analysis of the personality data identified five groups of drink-drivers with personality orientations that were over-represented in the drink-driver sample compared to the level expected based on population norms. These groups were then compared to other drink-drivers to further describe them in terms of the situational data collected by the Police. Tentative conclusions are drawn about the likely effects of countermeasures on each of the defined groups of drink drivers. (A)
Abstract