The behavioral impact of drinking and driving laws

All U.S. states have laws designed to discourage people from drinking and driving, but enforcement varies across the states. Existing studies offer conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of these strategies in deterring drinking-and-driving behavior. Deterrence theories imply that the mere existence of such laws has little impact on criminal behavior, but the perception of enforcement and the probability of being detected have a deterrent effect. To test these hypotheses, we develop a measure of the propensity to drink and drive using item response theory and national survey data. Inferential models test the impact of perceptions of enforcement, actual enforcement levels, and deterrence laws on criminal propensity. Results indicate that the existence of statutes impacts only those least likely to drink and drive, while perceptions of the likelihood of arrest and individual agreement with the goals of drinking and driving laws significantly reduce the propensity for almost everyone. Actual enforcement rates display no behavioral effect.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [The Behavioral Impact of Drinking and Driving Laws. Policy Studies Journal 36, 4 p545-569 (2008)], which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0072.2008.00283.x. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions: https://authorservices.wiley.com/author-resources/Journal-Authors/licensing/self-archiving.html#3.

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Work Title The behavioral impact of drinking and driving laws
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Anthony Bertelli
  2. Lilliard Richardson
Keyword
  1. Crime policy
  2. Deterrence theories
  3. Criminal propensity
  4. Drinking and driving
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Policy Studies Journal
Publication Date November 19, 2008
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0072.2008.00283.x
Deposited October 24, 2023

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added SSRN-id1116004-1.pdf
  • Added Creator Anthony Bertelli
  • Added Creator Lilliard Richardson
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Publication Date Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Crime policy, Deterrence theories, Criminal propensity, Drinking and driving
    Publication Date
    • 2008-12-03
    • 2008-11-19
  • Updated