Legal and social control of alcohol-impaired driving in California: 1983-1994

• Published in: Journal of studies on alcohol Vol. 58; no. 5; p. 518
• Main Authors: Berger, D E, Marelich, W D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.1997
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol Drinking - legislation & jurisprudence; Alcohol Drinking - prevention & control; Automobile Driving; California; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Self Disclosure; Social Control, Formal; United States; United States; California
• ISSN: 0096-882X
• DOI: 10.15288/jsa.1997.58.518

This research was designed to provide information on the legal and social forces that influence change in control of alcohol-impaired driving. Attitudes, perceptions and behaviors concerning drinking and driving for California drivers in 1994 (n = 608) were compared to similar information collected from California drivers in 1983 and 1986 (n = 291) through random-digit-dialing telephone interviews. Self-reported drinking-driving violations showed a substantial decline, paralleling the well-documented drop in alcohol-related traffic crashes during this time span. A large reduction in drinking before driving was reported for all age groups, men and women, and for both heavy drinkers and light drinkers. There was evidence of an increase in the levels of both general deterrence and general prevention. Increased external control was reflected in greater knowledge of drinking-driving laws and trends toward an increased expectation that violations would be followed by unpleasant consequences. Strong gains in creating a social norm for control of alcohol-impaired driving were indicated by perceptions that friends and relatives were more likely to disapprove of driving after drinking, observations of more control of drinking by drivers at occasions where alcohol is served and an increase in the view that it is morally wrong to drive after heavy drinking. California has made substantial progress in efforts to control alcohol-impaired driving, through increases in both general deterrence (fear of punishment) and general prevention (moral inhibitions and socialization of preventive habits), especially the latter.