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Perceived risk of arrest is among the biggest deterrents to drunk
driving, according to researchers who said that having laws on the
books alone is not sufficient to deter those at high risk of driving
under the influence of alcohol.
Researchers from the
University of Missouri
and the University of Georgia said that while the number of
drunk-driving arrests in a state has little relationship to the
likelihood of drunk driving occurring,
perceptions about the risk of arrest can be a deterrent.
"Essentially, law enforcement needs to focus on perceptions; it is
important that drivers perceive that they will be caught if they
drive impaired," said Lilliard Richardson, professor in the
University of Michigan's Truman School of Public Affairs. "We found
that
high-risk drivers are less likely to drink and drive if they
perceive they are likely to be stopped or arrested by police.
However, the mere existence of laws designed to discourage people
from drinking and driving does not impact high-risk drivers.
"The
results provide support for the value of high-visibility enforcement
campaigns,"
continued Richardson. "Public-safety education and media efforts are
important components of the overall strategy for reducing impaired
driving."
Individuals who agreed with the goals of deterrence laws also were
less likely to drink and drive, the study said.
The
researchers based their conclusions on interviews conducted as part
of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2001
National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior.
The study, "The
Behavioral Impact of Drinking and Driving Laws,"
was published in the November 2008 issue of the Policy Studies
Journal.
[Text copied from file received from
the Lincoln
Police Department] |
