Drinking Driver and Traffic Safety Project. Volume 1

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Researchhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15248511972PDFResearch PaperPollack, SeymourDidenko, O. R.McEachern, AlexanderBerger, Raymond M.University of Southern California. Public Systems Research InstituteUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited StatesDriversDrunk driversDrunk drivingDriver rehabilitationRecidivistsMathematical predictionDOT-HS-800-699NTIS-PB212252FH-11-7099Final reportThis is the final report of a four-year study of drinking drivers. On the basis of analyses of over 4,000 cases (approximately 1400 of whom were driver's license applicants who had no convictions for drunk-driving, and the remainder had been convicted at least once of drunk-driving), a simplified prediction model was developed which improves the discrimination between drinking drivers and non-drinking drivers by approximately 10%. A similar level of improvement was achieved for recidivist drunk-drivers compared with one-time drunk-drivers. In addition an experimental evaluation of the effects of different intervention' methods, which included AA, an Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center, films and lectures and different forms of group therapy, compared with a control group which were given conventional treatment, was carried out. The results were inconclusive, but suggested that for a short one-year follow-up period, there is little difference between the conventional and the experimental treatment methods, or among different experimental treatment methods. An extended follow-up, now under way, may invalidate this negative conclusion. /Abstract from report summary page/129