Our survey asked a series of questions about subjective beliefs about survival, onset of liver disease, extent to which alcohol consumption leads to a blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal limit, and legal consequences of DUI. Legal consequences were the probabilities of begin stopped for DUI, being convicted for DUI conditional on having been stopped, fined or jailed conditional on being convicted for DUI, and fine and jail amounts conditional on being fined or jailed. In a separate analysis, we analyzed responses to each question comparing subjective beliefs with objective evidence on the same issue. A person was optimistic if s/he underestimated the adverse outcome and was pessimistic if s/he overestimated it.
- Specifically, the present investigation points to further division between Americans who drive following heavy drinking episodes and the aggregates who refrain from drinking and driving at all.
- In 2016, over one million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI).
- While technology exists to monitor alcohol consumption of every driver, e.g., on-board alcohol detection systems with integrated sensors (Fu & Wang, 2012; Verster, Pandi-Perumal, Ramaekers, & de Gier, 2009), such technology is currently costly.
- The number of Hispanic drivers surveyed increased sevenfold during that time period (Voas et al. 1997).
- Social desirability bias and subjective assessment of intoxication may have affected responses’ accuracy.
The key to these comprehensive efforts is community mobilization, in which coalitions or task forces help design and implement interventions. The percentage of pure alcohol, expressed here as alcohol by volume (alc/vol), varies within and across beverage types. Although the standard drink amounts are helpful for following health guidelines, they may not reflect customary serving sizes. A large cup of beer, an overpoured glass of wine, or a single mixed drink could contain much more alcohol than a standard drink. The Guide to Community Preventative Services website includes resources about interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. Except for number of drinking and driving episodes, all estimates are fractions of binary variables.
Zero Tolerance Laws
In general, people who drive after drinking believe they can consume up to three drinks in a 2-hour period and still drive safely. Those who do not drink and drive think their limit is about one-third less, or two drinks (Royal 2000). NHTSA provided data on BAC and previous drinking and driving convictions for 818 of 1,121 fatally injured drivers in the NMFS. Fatally injured drivers with BACs of 0.15 percent or higher, relative to zero-BAC drivers, were much more likely to have been classified by informants as “problem drinkers” (31 percent vs. 1 percent). Finally, fatally injured drivers with BACs of 0.15 percent or higher were much more likely than those with no BAC to be driving from bars (26 percent vs. 0 percent) or from restaurants or other people’s homes (34 percent vs. 22 percent).
First, why do individuals drive under the influence of alcohol and other substances? Second, how do the same factors relate to the odds of actually incurring legal consequences of DUI and of other forms of risky driving behavior? Third, what are public policy implications of our findings, especially as they what are the consequences of drinking and driving relate to the potential benefit of treatment for substance abuse? However, if addiction is the most likely cause of drinking and driving episodes, treatment and measures that prevent the individual from operating a motor vehicle when intoxicated, such as ignition interlock devices, may be indicated.
Long-term effects
As the amount of alcohol in the driver’s system rises numerically on the BAC scale, the likelihood of a traffic accident multiplies. Deaths and injuries are the most severe outcomes of drinking and driving, but these aren’t the only potential consequences. In 2016, over one million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). NHTSA demonstrates its commitment to eliminating drunk driving through research, public awareness campaigns, and state safety grant programs. If you drive while impaired, you could get arrested, or worse — be involved in a traffic crash that causes serious injury or death.
