An important question regarding the efficacy of alternative transportation in preventing DWI and Riding with Intoxicated Drivers (RID) is whether at-risk drinkers actually use such risk reduction strategies. Previous research by the current authors showed that users of designated drivers (DDs) and free safe (taxi) rides (SRs) tend to be heavy drinkers, plus they report higher levels of DWI and RID than other drinkers. In a related study, relative to moderate and light drinkers, heavy drinkers also reported more DWI and RID plus more or an equivalent amount of behaviour to avoid DWI and RID. The current study examines this issue further in a sample of 364 barroom drinkers. Heavy drinkers were more likely than other drinkers to report DWI, and as likely as moderate drinkers and more likely than light drinkers to report RID. Heavy drinkers also reported more DWI occasions than light drinkers, as much DWI as moderate drinkers, and more RID than moderate or light drinkers. Heavy drinkers were more likely than any other drinkers to have used SRs, and were as likely to report DD use and other behaviours to avoid DWI and RID as moderate drinkers and more likely than light drinkers. Although heavy drinkers report using DDs as often as moderate drinkers and more than light drinkers, they reported using an array of behaviours to avoid DWI much more often than any other drinkers. They also use alternatives to RID as often as moderate and more often than light drinkers.
Abstract