Increased societal emphasis on the problems associated with drunken driving behaviors has resulted in the creation of many new programs. Some of these programs are enhanced law enforcement programs (increased enforcement and more severe penalties), while others emphasize treatment (the correction of individual problems). What continues to be unknown with a high degree of certainty is whether any of these policy approaches is dealing effectively with the real causes of drunk driving, or even whether these various policy approaches are effectively reducing the incidence of drunk driving behavior (Evans, 1996).
Worldwide, approximately 50.0 percent of all fatal automobile accidents are due to the influence of alcohol consumption by the drivers involved in such accidents. The risk of being involved in an automobile traffic accident increases geometrically with rises in the blood alcohol count of the vehicle operator. Driving while under the influence of alcohol continues to be a major problem in the United States. As an example, total driving while under the influence of alcohol arrests increased by 15.2 percent from 1979 to 1988, while the population was increasing 9.3 percent (Bureau of the Census, 1997; Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1997). From 1988 to 1992, however, arrests for driving while under the influence of alcohol declined by 5.3 percent.
One suggested solution for the problem of drunk driving offenders is the imposition of stiff penalties levied against those offenders whose alcohol-influenced behaviors in automobiles cause either bodily harm or property damage to others. Another suggested solution is the legal prevention any diagnosed alcoholic or any convicted driving while under the influence offender from operating an automobile (Morse & Elliott, 1992). Of course, prohibitions against the sale of alcohol to certain groups of individuals, such as the raising of the drinking age by some states and provinces, is...