Most research on drinking drivers relies on data from official statistics, or from self-report surveys of drivers in general or convicted DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) offenders. The latter are often unable to obtain any indicator of impaired driving. This paper presents an attempt to extend and improve earlier self-report studies, and to find improved predictors of impaired driving. Information from extensive personal interviews and 15min telephone interviews was combined with measured blood alcohol concentrations (BACs), obtained from the same subjects during nocturnal roadside surveys. The roadside interviews were conducted during weekends between May and October in 1990 and 1991 in Ohio State, USA. Vehicles were sampled, and their drivers were briefly interviewed in their vehicles and given breath tests. In 1990, 282 of these drivers took part in a telephone survey. In 1991, 352 of them were given personal interviews lasting about 90min. Drivers with BACs of at least 50mg/dl were compared with drivers with lower BACs. The results show clearly that heavy drinking behaviour is a fairly consistent predictor of driving with a higher BAC. Drivers who drank more were less inclined to consider DUI laws insufficiently strict.
Abstract