NCJ Number
105022
Date Published
1985
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper compares the effectiveness of current and proposed legislation in the State of Texas aimed at alleviating the drinking and driving problem and presents empirical evidence to support the findings.
Abstract
The drinking and driving problem appears to stem from the fact that drinking and driving is socially acceptable. The approaches used to reduce this problem are (1) imposing sanctions on drunk drivers (DWI), (2) raising the minimum drinking age from 19 years to 21 years, and (3) eliminating open alcoholic beverage containers from moving vehicles. Findings reveal the deterrent approach is only temporarily effective, and the effect of raising the age would reduce drunken drivers on the roadway by only 1 percent. The alternative of imposing restrictions on the presence of open alcoholic beverages in vehicles appears to be the most effective and would be instrumental in changing the public attitude toward drinking while driving. Data suggest that most drunken drivers are more likely to carry a drink with them. The argument for eliminating open containers is that of preventing blood alcohol levels from going higher and reaching a legally drunk level. The data does not reveal that the presence of an open container law would help to reduce drunken driving more effectively than raising the minimum drinking age, but the data does reveal that the law would create an atmosphere of continued attention to DWI laws. In a 1983 Texas Crime Poll, 5.12 percent of the respondents voted in favor of an open container statute. 7 tables and 9 references.