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Alcohol and risk/sensation seeking: specifying a causal model on high-risk driving
1New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, Albany 12210.
Journal of Addictive Diseases
|January 1, 1993
Summary
High-risk drivers often exhibit general risk-seeking behaviors. Early alcohol exposure can intensify this by increasing sensation-seeking attitudes, leading to more dangerous driving patterns.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Public Health
Background:
- Drinking-driving remains a significant public health and safety concern.
- Identifying factors contributing to high-risk driving behaviors is crucial for intervention.
- Understanding the interplay between alcohol use, personality, and driving is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the driving patterns of individuals at high risk for drinking-driving.
- To analyze the causal relationships between alcohol-related factors, non-alcohol-related factors, and high-risk driving behaviors.
Main Methods:
- A specially designed questionnaire was administered to 878 respondents.
- Respondents were recruited from alcohol treatment and criminal justice facilities.
- The LISREL program was utilized for causal structure analysis.
Main Results:
- High-risk driving is significantly associated with risk/sensation-seeking attitudes.
- Individuals with general risk-seeking tendencies are more likely to engage in high-risk driving.
- Chronological age is a predictor, but early alcohol experience exacerbates risky driving via sensation-seeking.
Conclusions:
- Risk/sensation-seeking attitudes are a key determinant of high-risk driving.
- Early alcohol initiation plays a critical role in shaping risky driving behaviors.
- Interventions should consider personality traits and early life experiences in addressing drinking-driving.