NCJ Number
101336
Date Published
1983
Length
56 pages
Annotation
This examination of police and court records of all 1,531 legally impaired drivers charged in 1980 in 12 police detachments on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, yielded information on drivers, charges, and dispositions as well as recommendations for improved enforcement.
Abstract
Records showed that drivers charged with drunk driving tended to be male (89.7 percent), under 50 years old (85.1 percent), and were leaving a bar (71.3 percent) at time of arrest. They were also likely to be single (49.4 percent), have more than one previous noncriminal driving violation (61 percent), and be driving a vehicle over 7 years old. Eighty-seven percent either pleaded guilty or were found guilty. Twenty-four percent had previous drunk-driving convictions. Recidivists tended to be middle-aged males with unstable or nonexistent family lives and high blood alcohol content (BAC) when apprehended. There were no differences in the characteristics of drivers involved in accidents and those not involved in accidents. Findings led to several recommendations: the public should be encouraged to report observed drunk driving; the police should upgrade their ability to respond to such reports; police should make more use of random spot checks and roadblocks; and, given that a charged driver is more likely to plead guilty when BAC evidence is available, this evidence should be routinely used. BAC level should be a major criterion in sentencing, and research should be undertaken to determine more effective sanctions for drunk driver recidivists. Tabular data, relevant laws, and 5 references.