Deterrence and the Adolescent Drinking Driver

Drink driving deterrents and self-reported offending behaviours among a sample of Queensland motorists

“…Historically, a body of evidence suggests that the threat of apprehension and subsequent legal sanctions, especially when supported by wellpublicized media campaigns, can produce a deterrent effect, even if short, on offending behavior (Homel, 1988;Grosvenor, Toomey, & Wagenaar, 1999;Nagin & Pogarsky, 2001). More specifically, campaigns to reinforce the consequences of DUI or publicize increases in the severity or certainty of penalties have produced a beneficial effect on crash and serious injury rates (Klein, 1989;Peck, 1991;Ross, 1973Ross, , 1982Ross, , 1985 as well as actual perceptions of arrest certainty (Grosvenor et al, 1999;Homel, 1988).…”

“…More specifically, campaigns to reinforce the consequences of DUI or publicize increases in the severity or certainty of penalties have produced a beneficial effect on crash and serious injury rates (Klein, 1989;Peck, 1991;Ross, 1973Ross, , 1982Ross, , 1985 as well as actual perceptions of arrest certainty (Grosvenor et al, 1999;Homel, 1988). However, consistent with the assertion that deterrence is unstable and changes over time (Homel, 1988), an opposing body of research reports that the threat of legal sanctions does not have a significant impact on perceptions or actual self-reported offending behaviors (Berger & Snortum, 1986;Briscoe, 2004;Norstrom, 1983;Watson & Freeman, 2007).…”

Optimal Drunk Driving Penalty Structure

“…3 This natural and typical assumption may require more rationality than is present. Studies have shown many people do not "know the applicable laws in their states" (Kenkel and Koch, 2001) and that the certainty of punishment deters youth more strongly than its severity (Grosvenor, Toomey, and Wagenaar, 1999). In the most complete model, based on an extensive literature review (Donovan, Marlatt, and Salzburg, 1983), "drinking behavior, personality traits, [and] emotional stress" combine to produce high risk driving: "When an individual...deficient in those social skills involved in the appropriate expression of anger and the management of stress, frustration or depression....is confronted by an acute emotional stress...the availability of alcohol or an automobile may provide an alternative means...of dealing with their underlying feelings in the absence of more adaptive emotional expression...…”

International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 3, No. 7, July 2008

“…One common problem with fear appeals aimed at young males aged 17-25 years is that they underestimate their own risk of injury (be that from excess drinking, smoking, drug use, unprotected sex or dangerous driving). Grosvenor et al (1999) state that as with adults, adolescents' perceived certainty of punishment appears to be more of a deterrent for drinking and driving than perceived severity of punishment. They found no deterrent effect of perceived severity of punishment on drinking and driving, suggesting that deterrence-based countermeasures should focus on increasing the likelihood of punishment for drinking and driving rather than increasing penalties.…”