DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR: FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF AGE, SEX AND SIMULTANEOUS OFFENSES

A comparative study of drunk driver defendants in Massachusetts (February and October 1979) was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the new law (S. 1727, amended) which raised the legal drinking age from 18 to 20 years on 16 April 1979. The study found a 26% increase in the number of teenagers (15-19 years) who were charged with driving under the influence of liquor (DUIL); teenagers comprised about 14% of the February defendants, and 17% in October. Intensive policy enforcement may have contributed to the increase, together with increased drinking in cars instead of in bars or taverns. The majority of drunk drivers were found to be over 20 years of age; the mean age approximated 30 for both males and females. Teenagers had a higher than predicted frequency of multiple offenses, including operating to endanger, use of a motor vehicle without authority, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and personal injury, crimes against property and public order offenses. Drivers 21-25 years of age represented the highest absolute frequency of DUIL defendants in both studies. The study will be repeated in October, 1980.

• Corporate Authors:

  Commonwealth of Massachusetts

  Office of Commissioner of Probation, 211 New Court House
  Boston, MA  United States  02108
• Authors:
  • Roy, M B
  • Greenblatt, E
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Pagination: 11 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Age; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Gender; Law enforcement; Laws; Legal drinking age; Measures of effectiveness; Teenage drivers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
• Subject Areas: Law; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391468
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-028 718
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM