The long-term traffic safety impact of a pilot alcohol abuse treatment as an alternative to license suspensions.
During the 4-year period following a repeat driving under the influence (DUI) conviction, participants in 12-month treatment programs had worse overall traffic safety records than did recipients of license suspensions. The results from a series of analyses using repeated measures analysis of covariance showed that, in comparison with license-suspension recipients: (i) participants had significantly higher rates (70%) of nonalcohol-related accidents and convictions, (ii) participants had a significantly lower rate (9%) of alcohol-related convictions, but no difference was found on alcohol-related accidents, and (iii) participants had a significantly higher rate (30%) of total accidents (p less than .05). These results suggest that the use of license-suspension waiver as an incentive to participate in a drinking driver program had a negative impact on traffic safety. The predicted reductions in alcohol-related accidents among program participants did not occur, and reductions in nonalcohol-related accidents, which could have been achieved with license suspensions, were sacrificed. It was recommended that some other alternative besides license-suspension waivers be used as an inducement for repeat DUI offenders to participate in treatment.
Sadler
D D
DD
Research and Development Office, California Department of Motor Vehicles, Sacramento 95853.
Perrine
M W
MW
Peck
R C
RC
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002140:California; D006801:Humans; D007346:Insurance, Accident; D008004:Licensure; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects