U.S. Department of Transportation printed on recycled paper

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

TRAFFIC TECH

Technology Transfer Series

Number 130 June 1996

REASONS SOUGHT FOR REPEAT DRINKING AND DRIVING

Have you ever driven after drinking? Would you do so some period of time following their arrest. The

again -- even after being convicted of driving while DWI behavior, however, returned later.

intoxicated (DWI)? In this research study, people who

were convicted one, two, even three times for DWI, were Many participants said that jail sentences alone only

asked to explain the reasons they continue to drive after temporarily solved the drinking and driving problem

drinking. by removing them from the street.

Recidivism for repeat DWI offenders is a continuing When police presence was more certain

traffic safety problem, both in terms of safety, and in (checkpoints, increased holiday enforcement), these

economic costs. About a third of all drivers arrested for offenders reduced their DWI behavior.

DWI are repeat offenders according to data gathered

from 12 states (see TRAFFIC TECH No. 85, Repeat DWI A majority of individuals with revoked or

Offenders in the United States, February 1995) and 1 suspended licenses drove anyway, although most

out of 8 intoxicated drivers in fatal crashes have had a drove carefully to avoid detection.

prior DWI conviction within the past three years. Since

1982, more people have been arrested in the U.S. for A number of participants believed they were not

driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while endangering themselves or others because they

intoxicated (DWI) than any other reported criminal believed they were able to drive safely after

offense. drinking.

Mid-America Research Institute conducted a study for A large number of study participants said that the

the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration problem was with the pattern of their drinking, not

(NHTSA) to determine when, where, why, and how the driving after drinking behavior.

DWI offenders continue to drink and drive even after

being convicted one or more times. Contact with a concerned individual (judge,

DWI offenders were interviewed one-on-one in Arizona, behavior or drinking patterns.

Pennsylvania, and Colorado. All of the interviews were

taped and later analyzed to identify reasons for repeat Drinking and driving patterns are difficult to change

drinking and driving, situations under which the without a person having the desire to change and

drinking and driving occurred, and situations where subsequently taking responsibility for their personal

drinking occurred, but not driving. Since this group had actions.

already been convicted at least once of DWI, they were

also asked to describe countermeasures or sanctions that

affect their decisions to drive after drinking.

Some trends that surfaced were:

A majority of the interviewed DWI offenders fear

arrest, and many stopped drinking completely for

probation officer) often led to changed DWI
THE REPORT CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING

RECOMMENDATIONS.

Maintain a high level of police enforcement

activity.

Conduct thorough, personalized

evaluations paid for by the offender. While

offenders can not be forced to

acknowledge problems in their lifestyles,

they can be encouraged to examine the

behaviors that brought them into the legal

system.

Implement intensive supervision

probation. Supervising offenders assures

compliance with court orders and

reporting of non-compliant behaviors.

Combine confinement with treatment. 

When confinement is necessary,

counseling and treatment are needed to

deal with addiction, lifestyle changes, or

behavior management.

Mandate personalized reassessments. 

Court orders should insure monitoring of

all repeat offenders over a relatively long

period of time (years) with "check ups" in

the form of assessments paid for by the

individuals.

Most of the countermeasures shown in the box to the

left are used across the country. A coordinated

program that incorporates all of these elements is

recommended.

HOW TO ORDER

Limited copies of Determine Reasons for Repeat

Drinking and Driving are available. WRITE to the

Office of Program Development and Evaluation,

NHTSA, NTS-30, 400 Seventh Street, S.W.,

Washington, DC 20590, or send a FAX to (202) 366-

7096. Amy Berning was the technical manager for this

project.

NHTSA Home Page

This and other NHTSA reports and TRAFFIC TECHS

can be found on the NHTSA Home Page at

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

U.S. Department 

of Transportation

National Highway 

Traffic Safety 

Administration

400 Seventh Street, S.W. NTS-33

Washington, DC 20590

TRAFFIC TECH is a publication to disseminate 

information about traffic safety programs, 

including evaluations, innovative programs, 

and new publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish. 

If you would like to receive a copy contact:

Linda Cosgrove, Ph.D., Editor, Evaluation Staff

Traffic Safety Programs

(202) 366-2759, fax (202) 366-7096

E-MAIL: lcosgrove@nhtsa.dot.gov