National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior: 1999. Volume 2, Methods Report

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Researchhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15254842000PDFResearch PaperRoyal, DawnGallup OrganizationUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Office of Research and TechnologyUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited StatesDrunk drivingAttitudesBehaviorKnowledgeSurveysQuestionnairesDOT-HS-809-191NTIS-PB2001102439DTNH22-96-C-05081Tremont, Paul J.Final reportThis report represents the fifth in a series of biennial national surveys undertaken by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) starting in 1991, and reports data from this fifth administration as well as those of the first four administrations (1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997). The objective of these recurrent studies is to measure the status of self-reported attitudes, knowledge and behavior of the general driving age public related to drinking and driving and to track trends in certain measures. The data are used to help support NHTSA initiatives and to identify areas of improvement and those in need of further attention in the pursuit of the reduction of drinking and driving. This volume, Volume II: Methods Report, describes the methods used to conduct the interviews and analyze the data. It also contains copies of the most recent questionnaires. The first volume, Volume I: Findings, reports respondents' behaviors and attitudes on various topics related to drinking and driving including reported frequency of drinking and driving, prevention and intervention, riding with impaired drivers, designated drivers, perceptions of penalties, and knowledge of and acceptance of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels. The 1999 survey administration findings indicate that, for the most part, following improvement between 1993 and 1995, attitudes and behaviors among those aged 16-64 have relapsed slightly. The proportion of the population who report "driving within two hours of drinking in the past year" declined from 23% in 1991 and 24% in 1993 to 20% in 1995 and 21% in 1997. This proportion has increased in 1999 to 23%. Despite the increase in the proportion of persons who drove within two hours of consuming alcohol, the total number of impaired driving trips has remained consistent with 1997 measures and is a significant decline from 1991. The proportion who put themselves at risk by riding with a potentially impaired driver declined between 1993 and 1995, and remains near the 1995 level of 12%. Eighty percent (80%) of the driving age public sees drinking and driving as a major threat to their personal safety decreasing from 84% who felt this way in 1991. Perceptions of the certainty of being stopped for violating drinking and driving laws have declined since 1993 (from 32% saying such a stop is unlikely to 39% in 1999). Support for increased use of sobriety checkpoints increased slightly since 1993 from 62% to 66% in 1997, holding at 64% in 1999. More persons age 16-64 correctly know the BAC limit in their state (28% up from 20% in 1995). Support for a legal limit of .08 or lower has increased to 68% of those who are aware of BAC levels, up from 56% in 1997. /Abstract from report summary page/129