Social, psychological and behavioural factors in adolescence associated with early and later drunken driving.

Several studies have suggested that people convicted of drink driving differ significantly from the general population regarding earlier alcohol consumption and various social, psychological and behavioural factors. The authors put forward a number of hypotheses based on these suggestions and examine them using data about men included in the military conscription survey first carried out in 1970. The information gathered included details of upbringing, social class, incidence of drunkenness, relationships, use of drugs and smoking. These were compared with details of any convictions during 3 time periods in order to reveal any of the changes over time suggested by the hypotheses.