By the end of 1994 a study on alcohol in road traffic was carried out. 1,000 Austrian juveniles between 14 and 24 years of age were interviewed to this subject: 70% of all interviewed juveniles and 86% of the directly concerned holders of a drivers licence on probation knew about the 0.01% limit for holders of a driver licence on probation. 62% of all interviewed juveniles and 64% of the holders of a driver licence on probation accept this regulation. All other driver licence holders have to observe the 0.08% limit in Austria. Only 34% of the juveniles agree with this regulation. The majority (57%) recommends lower alcohol limits (35% 0.01%, 23% 0.05%) 40% of the juveniles stated they could only drive a vehicle safely in a completely sober condition, 24% think they could drink 0.5 liters of beer, 15% 1 liter of beer, and 6% 1.5 liters of beer. Generally it turned out that the self perception of female juveniles is different: The alcohol quantities of which they believe themselves being capable to drive a vehicle safely are lower and, in addition, they recommend lower alcohol limits than male juveniles. However, also in the group of male juveniles only a minority (42%) thinks that the 0.08 limit should not be reduced. Juveniles who rather did not recommend lower alcohol limits on the one hand and, on the other hand, believed themselves being capable to drive a vehicle under the influence of relatively higher quantities of alcohol showed the following characteristics: they enjoy luxuries, seek pleasure, their creative ability is rather low, they seek sensation and try to compensate their frustrating every-day-life by means of leisure time activities like e.g. frequent visits to discos, watching TV or video, and live in rural areas. In consequence, three sociological realization proposals are to be deducted from these interviews of juveniles: 1. To reduce the general legal 0.08% limit and preservation of the 0.01% limit for driving beginners. 2. To establish a social framework which allows to increase the creativity potential of juveniles in leisure time, profession, and school (as a measure for alcohol prevention). 3. To put more emphasis on the subject "alcohol limits" during driver education.
Samenvatting