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A case-control study of driving-while-impaired offenders
1Addiction Research Foundation, London, Ontario, Canada.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|June 1, 1993
Summary
Individuals convicted of driving while impaired (DWI) often hold specific attitudes about drinking and driving, differing from controls. Many DWI offenders underestimate impairment and deny having a drinking problem.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Criminology
Background:
- Driving while impaired (DWI) remains a significant public safety concern.
- Understanding the psychological and behavioral factors contributing to DWI is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify variables associated with driving while impaired (DWI) using a case-control approach.
- To compare attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and social factors between DWI offenders and matched controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 9943 Canadians, matching 78 DWI cases with 78 controls on demographics and drinking behavior.
- Included a separate analysis of 39 DWI offenders who were current abstainers.
- Compared three groups across 81 variables related to drinking, driving, drug use, social issues, and policy attitudes.
Main Results:
- DWI cases differed significantly from controls on 10 variables, primarily related to attitudes toward drinking and driving.
- DWI offenders were more likely to believe some people drive better after drinking, underestimate legal impairment levels, and justify DWI.
- Offenders reported drinking due to sadness/loneliness, higher past cannabis use, and often did not perceive themselves as having a drinking problem.
Conclusions:
- Attitudinal factors play a key role in driving while impaired.
- Interventions should address offenders' perceptions of impairment and their own drinking behaviors.
- The findings suggest a disconnect between DWI offenders' attitudes and the perceived risks and consequences of impaired driving.