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Driving While Intoxicated

Different Roads to and from the Problem

Veterans Administration Medical Center Seattle, WA University of Washington

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) continues to be a major societal concern, exacting a high personal and financial cost. The present article reviews the current scope of the drinking-driving problem and a number of countermeasures employed to reduce it. Primary prevention strategies target young drivers with the goal of preventing the initiation of drinking-driving behavior. Driver's training and drinking-driver education classes have had a minimal impact on DWI. Increasing the minimum age for purchasing alcohol has been considerably more effective. Secondary interventions target the general driving population and are based on the principles of general deterrence. Increasing the perceived risk of arrest and punishment appears to have a short-term impact; increased severity of punishment also has limited effects. Tertiary interventions, or specific deterrents, target convicted DWI offenders with the goal of reducing recidivism. Alcohol education and rehabilitation have shown only a weak positive impact on DWI. License suspension/revocation appears to be an effective and efficient specific deterrent. Overall, it is suggested that the approach with the greatest potential for reducing the drinking-driving problem is an integrated, complementary countermeasure aimed at both person and sociocultural factors.

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